BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

-0 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


RECORD 

OF 

ENGAGEMENTS 


WITH 


HOSTILE  INDIANS 


WITHIN    THE 


MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 

FROM  1868  TO  1882, 

LIEUTENANT  GENERAL   P.   H.  SHERIDAN, 

COMMANDING. 


COMPILED    FROM    OFFICIAL    RECORDS. 


HEADQUARTERS  MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS,  AUGUST  IST, 

1882. 


RECORD 


OF 


ENGAGEMENTS 


WITH 


HOSTILE  INDIANS 

WITHIN  THE 

MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 

FROM  1868  TO  1882, 

LIEUTENANT  GENERAL   P.   H.  SHERIDAN, 

COMMANDING. 


COMPILED    FROM    OFFICIAL    RECORDS. 


HEADQUARTERS  MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 
CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS,  AUGUST  IST, 

1882. 


Ess 


<§ 


INTRODUCTORY, 


THE  information  contained  in  the  following  synopsis  of  engagements 
with  hostile  Indians,  is  compiled  from  official  reports  and  returns. 
Whilst  it  was  possible  to  ascertain  the  exact  losses  of  the  troops 
engaged,  the  figures  relating  to  those  of  the  Indians  necessarily  rep 
resent  the  minimum.  Excepting  in  rare  instances  when  troops  were 
in  superior  force  and  succeeded  in  effecting  a  complete  surprise,  de 
feat  or  capture  of  a  body  of  Indians,  the  latter,  according  to  their 
custom,  bore  off  in  the  midst  of  the  engagements,  their  dead  and 
wounded,  the  number  of  whom  could  not,  therefore,  be  ascertained  ; 
so  the  seeming  disparity  between  the  reported  numbers  of  their  killed 
and  of  their  wounded,  is  accounted  for  by  this  great  difficulty  in  ascer 
taining  the  extent  of  the  latter.  In  many  engagements,  consequently, 
no  mention  is  made  of  Indians  wounded,  although,  doubtless,  many  really 
died  from  the  effects  of  wounds  received.  Notably  such  was  the  case 
in  the  battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  in  Montana,  in  1876,  and  it  was 
only  when  the  hostiles  had  finally  surrendered,  that  interviews  with  the 
Indians  resulted  in  their  admitting  a  loss  of  about  forty  warriors  killed. 
The  boastful  nature  of  the  Indian,  too,  leads  him  to  exalt  his  own  deeds 
of  prowess,  but  to  conceal  his  losses,  so  that  whilst  he  makes  an  exag 
gerated  record  of  the  number  of  enemies  he  has  slain,  keeping  his  score 
by  notches  cut  upon  his  "  coup  stick,"  he  is  reluctant  to  admit  the  extent 
of  his  own  punishment. 

Again,  in  the  casualties  to  the  troops,  there  were  repeated  instances 
of  officers  and  soldiers  reported  wounded,  who  died,  later,  from  the 
effects  of  the  injuries  received  ;  whilst  the  number  who  were  actually 
disabled  for  life,  or  entirely  incapacitated  for  further  military  service, 
from  the  results  of  exposure  and  hardships  involved  by  campaigns  in 
pitiless  winter  weather,  in  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country,  far  from 
shelter  and  supplies,  will  doubtless  exceed  the  killed  and  wounded 
upon  the  field  of  battle. 


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and  Elliott,  Texas  ;  Forts  Havs,  Leavenworth,  and 
insas;  Forts  Garland,  Lewis,  Lvon,  Camp  near  and 
ent  on  the  Uncompahgre,  Colorado;  Forts  Gibson, 
ill  and  Supply,  Indian  Territory;  Camp  on  Snakt- 
yoming  Territory;  Forts  Bayard,  Craig,  Cummings, 
eldeu,  Slanton,  Union,  and  Wingate,  New  Mexico. 


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n,  Clark,  Concho,  Davis,  Duncan,  Mclntosh,  RiiiL'- 
Post  of  San  Antonio,  Texas.  Sub-posts:  Santa 
Fort  Brown;  Camp  Del  Rio,  Mayer's  Spring  and 
Pecoe  River  to  Fort  Clark;  Camp  Charlotte,  Grier- 
ngs,  and  Head  of  North  Concho,  to  Fort  Concho: 
orado,  Camp  near  Presidio  del  Norte,  and  Fort 
to  Fort  Davis;  Edinburg,  to  Fort  Ringgold. 


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THE  MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 


The  Military  Division  of  the  Missouri  was  established  January  30th, 
1865,  by  General  Orders  No.  11,  War  Department,  series  of  1865.  It 
then  included  the  Departments  of  the  Missouri  and  of  the  North  West, 
with  Headquarters  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  March  21st,  1865,  by  General 
Orders,  44,  series  of  1865,  from  the  War  Department,  the  Department  of 
Arkansas  and  the  Indian  Territory  were  transferred  to  it  from  the  Divi 
sion  of  the  W^est  Mississippi.  June  27th,  1865,  by  General  Orders,  118, 
series  of  1865,  from  the  War  Department,  the  Division  of  the  Missouri 
was  merged  into  the  Division  of  the  Mississippi,  embracing  the  Depart 
ments  of  the  Ohio,  of  the  Missouri  and  of  Arkansas;  Headquarters  at  St. 
Louis.  August  6th,  1866,  the  name  of  the  Division  was  changed  to 
"  Military  Division  of  the  Missouri,"  comprising  the  Departments  of 
the  Arkansas,  the  Missouri,  the  Platte  and  a  new  Department  to  be 
created,  Dakota. 

The  State  of  Arkansas  was  taken  from  the  Division,  March  llth, 
1867,  by  General  Orders,  10,  series  of  1867,  from  Headquarters  of  the 
Army,  and  on  March  16th,  1869,  by  General  Orders,  18,  series  of  1869, 
from  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  the  State  of  Illinois  was  added  to  the 
Division.  The  Department  of  Texas  was  added  to  the  Division,  Novem 
ber  1st,  1871,  by  General  Orders,  66,  series  of  1871,  from  the  War 
Department,  and  the  Department  of  the  Gulf  was  added,  January  4th, 
1875.  June  22nd,  1875,  the  limits  of  the  Department  of  the  Platte, 
belonging  to  the  Division,  were  extended  to  include  Fort  Hall,  Idaho,  by 
General  Orders,  65,  series  of  1875,  from  the  War  Department. 

At  the  present  time,  1882,  the  Military  Division  of  the  Missouri  con 
sists  of  the  Departments  of  Dakota,  the  Platte,  the  Missouri  and  Texas. 

The  Department  of  Dakota  comprises  the  State  of  Minnesota  and  the 
Territories  of  Dakota  and  Montana. 

The  Department  of  the  Platte  includes  the  States  of  Iowa  and 
Nebraska,  the  Territories  of  Wyoming  and  Utah,  and  a  portion  of  Idaho. 

The  Department  of  the  Missouri  embraces  the  States  of  Illinois,  Mis 
souri,  Kansas  and  Colorado,  Indian  Territory  and  Territory  of  New  Mex 
ico,  with  two  posts  in  Northern  Texas,  Forts  Elliott  and  Bliss. 

The  Department  of  Texas  consists  of  the  State  of  Texas. 

The  Division  thus  includes  the  territory  extending  from  the  British 
boundary  on  the  north,  to  the  Mexican  frontier  of  the  Rio  Grande  on  the 


south,  and  from  Chicago  on  the  east,  to  the  western  boundaries  of  New 
Mexico,  Utah  and  Montana,  on  the  west. 

To  garrison  the  military  posts  and  to  furnish  troops  for  field  opera 
tions,  the  present  force  in  the  Division  comprises  :  eight  regiments  of 
cavalry,  twenty  regiments  of  infantry,  and  one  battery  of  artillery; 
aggregating  15,940  officers  and  men. 


INDIANS  AND  INDIAN  WARS, 


The  principal  Indian  tribes  living  within  the  limits  of  the  Division, 
are  distributed  as  follows  : 

In  the  north,  in  the  Department  of  Dakota,  are  to  be  found  the  Sioux, 
Northern  Cheyennes,  Crows,  Chippewas,  Poncas,  Assinaboines,  Flat- 
heads,  Piegans  and  Gros  Ventres. 

In  the  Department  of  the  Platte,  are  the  Bannocks,  Shoshones,  Utes, 
Arapahoes,  Pawnees,  Winnebagoes,  Pottawatomies,  Omahas,  Kickapoos, 
Miamis,  Poncas  and  Otoes. 

In  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  are  the  Northern  and  Southern 
Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Kiowas,  Comanches,  Apaches,  Navajoes,  Pueblos 
and  semi-civilized  tribes  in  the  Indian  Territory  (Choctaws,  Cherokees, 
Chickasaws,  etc.,)  while  in  the  Department  of  Texas  are  the  Lipans, 
Seminoles  and  Tonkawas;  that  Department  being  also  the  resort  of  the 
roving  and  predatory  bands  from  New  Mexico  and  Old  Mexico. 

The  taking  of  an  Indian  census  is  always  a  matter  of  extreme  diffi 
culty,  owing  to  the  objection  of  the  Indian  against  being  counted. 
With  the  best  information  attainable,  however,  the  entire  number  of 
Indian  tribes  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  Military  Division  of  the 
Missouri,  is  ninety-nine;  aggregating  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
thousand  persons  who  are  scattered  over  an  area  of  more  than  one  mil 
lion  square  miles  of  frontier  country. 

Since  the  date  at  which  this  record  of  engagements  begins,  (March 
2d,  1868,)  those  tribes  in  the  Division  which  have  been  most  actively 
engaged  in  hostilities  with  the  whites,  are  the  Sioux,  Northern  and 
Southern  Cheyennes,  Kiowas,  Comanches,  Arapahoes,  Utes  and  Apaches. 
In  addition  to  the  wars  with  these  tribes,  the  Division  has  been  invaded, 
at  intervals,  by  hostiles  from  the  outside,  some  of  the  more  notable 
engagements  having  been  with  Indians  belonging  to  the  Military  De 
partments  of  the  Pacific  Slope;  such  as  the  Nez  Perces,  the  Bannocks 
and  the  Arizona  Apaches;  with  periodical  incursions  from  old  Mexico, 
by  bands  who  affiliated  with  our  own  Indians  living  near  the  Rio  Grande 
frontier. 


1868. 


In  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  in  the  spring  of  1868,  only  a  very 
few  minor  engagements  with  Indians  were  reported,  previous  to  the  gen 
eral  outbreak  which  occurred  in  the  summer  of  that  year;  they  were 
chiefly  in  the  District  of  New  Mexico  and  occurred  as  follows: 

On  March  llth,  Apache  Indians  raided  the  settlements  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Tulerosa,  New  Mexico,  killing  and  mutilating  eleven  men 
and  two  women,  capturing  one  child,  running  oif  a  large  'number  of 
sheep,  about  2,200,  and  other  stock.  These  marauders  were  pursued  by 
a  detachment  of  Troop  "H,"  3d  Cavalry,  under  command  of  1st  Lieut. 
P.  D.  Vroom,  3d  Cavalry,  but  having  the  advantage  of  three  days  start, 
the  Indians  escaped  into  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  abandoning  some  of 
the  sheep  which  were  recovered. 

March  25th,  the  settlers  upon  Bluff  Creek,  Kansas,  were  attacked  by 
Indians  and  driven  from  their  houses,  no  details  of  this  raid  being  offi 
cially  reported. 

April  17th,  at  Nesmith's  Mills,  New  Mexico,  a  detachment  of  Troop 
"H,"  3d  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Sergeant  Glass,  had  a  fight  with 
Indians,  the  troops  having  one  man  wounded.  Ten  Indians  were  reported 
killed  and  twentv-five  wounded. 

June  6th,  Captain  D.  Monahan,  3d  Cavalry,  in  command  of  detach 
ments  of  Troops  "  G,"  and  "  I,"  3d  Cavalry,  started  from  Fort  Sumner, 
New  Mexico,  in  pursuit  of  a  band  of  Navajoe  Indians  who  had  murdered 
four  citizens,  within  twelve  miles  of  that  post.  He  followed  their  trail 
for  a  hundred  miles,  finally  surprising  them  in  a  ravine,  where  he  killed 
three  Indians  and  wounded  eleven,  the  balance  escaping.  The  troops 
sustained  no  losses. 

June  25th,  near  Fort  Hays,  Kansas,  a  detachment  of  troops  attacked 
and  pursued  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  but  no  casualties  occurred. 

THE  OUTBREAK  OF  1868. 

Early  in  August  a  body  of  about  225  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes  and  Sioux 
appeared  among  the  advanced  settlements  on  the  Saline  River,  north  of 
Fort  Barker,  Kansas.  On  August  10th,  after  being  hospitably  fed  by 
the  farmers,  the  Indians  attacked  them,  robbed  their  houses  and  brutally 
outraged  four  females  until  insensible.  Six  houses  were  attacked,  plun 
dered  and  burned. 


10 

On  the  same  day,  August  10th,  near  the  Cimmaron  River,  Kansas, 
two  separate  attacks  were  made  by  Indians  upon  the  advance  and  rear 
guards  of  a  column  of  troops  commanded  by  Lieut.  Colonel  Alfred  Sully, 
3d  Infantry.  The  attack  upon  the  advance  guard  was  repulsed  by  a 
charge,  in  which  two  Indians  were  killed,  without  casualty  to  the  troops. 
In  the  attack  upon  the  rear  guard,  who  made  a  successful  defence,  one 
soldier  was  killed.  Ten  Indians  were  reported  killed  and  twelve 
wounded. 

August  12th,  Indians  attempted  to  stampede  the  stock  by  a  dash  into 
the  camp  of  the  column  under  General  Sully,  but  were  frustrated  in  their 
designs.  Later  they  attacked  his  main  body,  in  large  force,  but  were 
repulsed  after  a  severe  fight,  lasting  several  hours,  in  which  two  soldiers 
were  killed  and  three  wounded.  Twelve  Indians  were  reported  killed 
and  fifteen  wounded. 

August  12th,  the  Indians  who  had  raided  the  settlements  on  the 
Saline,  on  August  10th,  devastated  those  on  the  Solomon  River,  Kansas, 
where,  though  kindly  received  and  fed  by  the  people,  they  plundered  and 
burned  five  houses,  stole  ten  head  of  stock  cattle,  murdered  fifteen  per 
sons,  wounded  two  and  outraged  five  women.  Two  of  these  unfortunate 
women  were  also  shot  and  badly  wounded.  A  small  band  crossed  to  the 
Republican  River  and  killed  two  persons  there,  but  the  main  body 
returned  to  che  Saline,  with  two  captive  children,  named  Bell.  Here 
they  again  attacked  the  settlers,  with  the  evident  intention  of  clearing 
out  the  entire  valley;  but,  whilst  a  Mr.  Schermerhorn  was  defending  his 
house,  Captain  Benteen,  with  his  troop  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  arrived  by  a 
swift  march  from  Fort  Zarah,  went  to  the  relief  of  the  house  and  ran  the 
Indians  about  ten  miles.  Two  women  who  had  been  ravished  and  cap 
tured  by  the  Indians  were  rescued.  The  same  day  Major  Douglass,  com 
manding  at  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  reported  that  a  band  of  Cheyennes  had 
robbed  the  camp  of  R.  M.  Wright  of  two  horses  and  some  arms,  and 
that  132  horses  and  mules  had  been  run  off  from  a  Mexican  train  at  Paw 
nee  Fork  above  Cimmaron  Crossing. 

August  13th,  General  Sully's  command,  in  Southern  Kansas,  was 
again  attacked,  one  soldier  was  killed  and  four  wounded.  The  troops 
routed  the  Indians,  of  whom  ten  were  reported  killed  and  twelve 
wounded. 

August  14th,  at  Granny  Creek,  on  the  Republican,  a  house  was  plun 
dered  and  burned,  one  person  killed,  one  wounded  and  one  woman  out 
raged  and  captured.  The  same  day  near  Fort  Zarah,  Kansas,  Indians 
ran  off  twenty  mules,  which  were  recaptured  by  the  troops.  One  man 
was  wounded,  one  Indian  reported  killed  and  five  wounded. 

August  18th,  Indians  attacked  a  train  on  Pawnee  Fork,  Kansas,  and 
kept  it  corralled  for  two  days,  but  were  unable  to  capture  it.  Cavalry 
from  Fort  Dodge  arrived  and  dispersed  the  Indians  who  returned  to  the 


11 

attack  the  same  night,  but  were  again  repulsed.  Five  men  were 
wounded;  the  Indian  loss,  estimated,  was  five  killed  and  ten  wounded. 

August  19th,  a  party  of  wood  choppers  on  Twin  Butte  Creek,  were 
attacked  by  about  thirty  Indians,  three  killed  and  nine  cut  off,  as  reported 
by  Lieut.  G.  Lewis,  5th  Infantry,  on  August  23d.  All  the  animals  (25) 
were  driven  off,  and  Mr.  Jones,  the  contractor,  chased,  though  making 
his  escape  by  abandoning  his  horse  and  concealing  himself  amongst  some 
trees  in  a  ravine. 

August  22d,  Indians  ran  off  twelve  head  of  stock  from  the  town  of 
Sheridan,  Kansas. 

August  23d,  the  stage  to  Cheyenne  Wells  had  to  return,  being  chased 
by  thirty  Indians,  four  miles.  The  same  day  Captain  Bankhead,  5th 
Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Wallace,  Kansas,  reported  the  Denver  stage 
coach  attacked  by  Indians,  between  Pond  Creek  and  Lake  Station;  also 
that  Comstock's  ranch  was  attacked  on  the  night  of  August  20th;  two 
men  were  killed  and  the  others  living  there  driven  into  Pond  Creek,  one 
man  being  mortally  wounded  and  dying  at  Fort  Wallace  on  the  night  of 
August  21st.  In  northern  Texas,  eight  persons  were  killed  and  three 
hundred  head  of  stock  cattle  captured.  At  Bent's  Fort,  on  the  Arkansas, 
fifteen  horses  and  mules  and  four  head  of  cattle  were  also  run  off. 

August  24th,  in  the  vicinity  of  Bent's  Fort,  three  stage  coaches  and 
one  wagon  train  were  attacked. 

August  25th,  Indians  killed  a  herder,  near  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  and 
Acting  Governor  Hall,  of  Colorado,  reported  a  band  of  two  hundred 
Indians  devastating  southern  Colorado. 

August  27th,  Captain  Bankhead,  5th  Infantry,  commanding  Fort 
Wallace,  reported  that  a  band  of  thirteen  Indians  killed  a  citizen,  named 
Woodworth,  between  Fort  Lyon  and  the  town  of  Sheridan;  another 
citizen,  named  Wm.  McCarty,  was  killed  on  the  23d,  near  Lake  Station, 
Colorado.  Thirty  Indians  attacked  the  stage  near  Cheyenne  Wells  and 
would  have  captured  it,  but  for  the  stout  resistance  of  the  escort.  A 
body  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  also  threatened  the  train  of 
Captain  Butler,  5th  Infantry,  causing  him  to  return  to  Big  Springs. 
Acting  Governor  Hall,  of  Colorado,  again  telegraphed  that  Arapahoes 
were  killing  settlers  and  destroying  ranches  in  all  directions.  Lieut.  F. 
H.  Beecher,  3d  Infantry,  reported  two  experienced  government  scouts, 
named  Comstock  and  Grover,  attacked  by  Indians  professing  friendship. 
Both  were  shot  in  the  back,  Comstock  instantly  killed  ;  but,  by  lying  on 
the  ground  and  making  a  defence  of  Comstock's  body,  Grover  kept  off 
the  Indians  till  night  and  made  his  escape. 

August  28th,  near  Kiowa  Station,  Indians  killed  three  men  and  drove 
off  fifty  head  of  stock.  Mr.  Stickney,  the  station  keeper,  whilst  with  one 
man,  in  a  wagon,  was  attacked  and  wounded.  The  Sergeant  at  Lake 


Station  reported  two  employes  driven  in  there  and  the  station  keeper  and 
stock  tender  at  Reed's  Spring,  driven  off.  , 

August  29th,  Captain  Penrose,  3d  Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Lyon, 
reported  a  train  of  thirteen  wagons  attacked  by  Indians,  eighteen  miles 
from  the  Arkansas  River,  the  oxen  killed,  and  the  train  destroyed;  the 
men  in  charge,  twenty-one  in  number,  escaping  in  the  night,  to  Fort 
Lyon. 

August  31st,  Lieut.  Riley,  5th  Infantry,  reported  Indians  had  run  off 
two  hundred  horses  and  forty  cattle,  from  the  stage  company's  station  at 
Kiowa  Creek. 

September  1st,  near  Lake  Station,  J.  H.  Jones,  stage  agent,  reported 
a  woman  and  a  child  killed  and  scalped,  and  thirty  head  of  stock  run  off 
by  Indians;  at  Reed's  Springs,  three  persons  were  killed  and  three 
wounded;  at  Spanish  Fort,  Texas,  four  persons  were  murdered,  eight 
scalped,  fifteen  horses  and  mules  run  off  and  three  women  outraged;  one 
of  these  three  women  was  outraged  by  thirteen  Indians  who  afterwards 
killed  and  scalped  her  and  then  killed  her  four  little  children. 

September  3d,  on  Little  Coon  Creek,  Kansas,  a  wagon,  guarded  by 
four  soldiers,  commanded  by  Sergeant  Dixon,  Company  "A,"  3d  Infantry, 
were  attacked  by  about  forty  Indians.  Three  of  the  men  were  badly 
wounded;  three  Indians  were  killed  and  one  wounded.  One  of  the  men 
bravely  volunteered  to  go  to  Fort  Dodge,  for  help,  which  eventually 
arrived,  under  command  of  Lieut.  Wallace,  3d  Infantry. 

September  4th,  Major  Tilford,  7th  Cavalry,  commanding  Fort  Rey 
nolds,  Colorado,  reported  four  persons  killed,  the  day  before,  near  Colo 
rado  City.  A  large  body  of  Indians  also  attacked  the  station  at  Hugo 
Springs,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  guards. 

September  5th,  Indians  drove  off  five  head  of  stock  from  Hugo  Springs 
and  then  went  off  and  burned  Willow  Springs  station. 

September  6th  and  7th,  twenty-five  persons  were  killed  in  Colorado, 
and  on  the  7th,  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax  telegraphed:  "  Hostile  Indians  have 
been  striking  simultaneously  at  isolated  settlements  in  Colorado,  for  a 
circuit  of  over  two  hundred  miles."  . 

September  8th,  Captain  Bankhead,  5th  Infantry,  commanding  Fort 
Wallace,  reported  about  twenty-five  Indians  had  killed  and  scalped  two 
citizens  near  Sheridan  and  also  drove  off  seventy-six  horses  and  mules, 
from  Clark's  train  on  Turkey  Creek. 

Lieut.  Wallingford,  7th  Cavalry,  was  sent  to  assist  a  wood  train  of 
thirty-five  wagons  and  fifty  men,  attacked  at  Cimmaron  crossing,  who 
had  been  fighting  four  days.  They  had  two  men  and  two  horses  killed, 
seventy-five  head  of  cattle  run  off  and  many  mules  wounded.  Five  miles 
further  west,  the  remains  of  another  train  of  ten  wagons  captured  and 
burned,  were  found;  fifteen  men  with  this  train  were  burned  to  death  by 
the  Indians. 


13 

September  9th,  between  Fort  Wallace  and  Sheridan,  Kansas,  Indians 
burned  a  ranch  and  killed  six  persons.  The  same  ranch  was  also  burned 
two  weeks  before  and  had  been  rebuilt. 

September  10th,  Indians  raided  settlements  on  Purgatoire  River. 
Troops  from  Fort  Lyon,  under  Captain  Penrose,  3d  Infantry,  pursued 
rapidly,  overtook  the  Indians  on  Rule  Creek,  Colorado,  and  killed  four, 
recovering  twelve  head  of  stolen  stock.  Two  soldiers  were  killed  and 
one  wounded,  and  five  horses  died  from  exhaustion  in  the  chase.  The 
same  day  Captain  Butler,  5th  Infantry,  Fort  Wallace,  reported  the  stage 
fired  into  by  Indians,  four  miles  east  of  Lake  Station. 

September  llth,  eighty-one  head  of  stock  cattle,  belonging  to  Clarke 
and  Co.,  hay  contractors,  were  run  off  from  Lake  Creek. 

September  12th,  General  Nichols,  traveling  to  Fort  Reynolds,  was 
attacked  by  Indians  who  were  driven  off  by  the  guard.  They  then  ran 
off  eighty-five  head  of  stock  belonging  to  Thompson  and  McGee,  near 
Bent's  old  fort,  and  made  a  raid  on  a  house  at  Point  of  Rocks,  running 
off  four  head  of  stock  there. 

Between  September  llth  and  15th,  the  column  commanded  by  Lieut. 
Colonel  Alfred  Sully,  3d  Infantry,  consisting  of  Troops  "A,"  "  B,"  "  C," 
"D,"  "E,"  "F,"  "G,"  "I,"  and  "  K,"  7th  Cavalry,  and  Company  "  F," 
3d  Infantry,  had  a  series  of  fights  with  Indians.  Three  soldiers  were 
killed  and  five  wounded.  The  total  Indian  loss  was  reported  as  twenty- 
two  killed  and  twelve  wounded. 

September  15th,  on  Big  Sandy  Creek,  Colorado,  Troop  "I,"  10th 
Cavalry,  commanded  by  Captain  Graham,  were  attacked  by  about  one 
hundred  Indians,  and  seven  soldiers  were  wounded.  Eleven  Indians 
were  reported  killed  and  fourteen  wounded. 

September  17th,  Ellis  Station,  Kansas,  was  burned  and  one  man 
killed.  The  settlements  on  Saline  River,  Kansas,  were  again  raided  by 
Indians,  who  were  attacked,  driven  off  and  pursued  by  a  detachment  of 
7th  Cavalry,  three  soldiers  being  wounded;  the  Indian  loss,  estimated, 
was  three  killed  and  five  wounded.  Three  miles  from  Fort  Bascom,  New 
Mexico,  Indians  also  killed  a  herder  and  ran  off  thirty  mules;  troops  from 
the  post  pursued  the  Indians  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles,  but 
could  not  overtake  them. 

Brevet  Colonel  G.  A.  Forsyth,  with  his  company  of  fifty  scouts,  took 
the  trail  of  a  party  of  Indians  who  had  committed  depredations  near 
Sheridan  City,  and  followed  it  to  the  Arickaree  Fork  of  the  Republican 
River,  where  he  was  attacked,  on  the  17th  of  September,  by  about  seven 
hundred  Indians,  and  after  a  very  gallant  fight  repulsed  the  savages, 
inflicting  a  loss  on  them  of  thirty-five  killed  and  many  wounded.  In  the 
engagement  Lieutenant  F.  H.  Beecher  and  Surgeon  Moore  were  killed, 
Forsyth  twice  wounded,  and  four  of  his  scouts  killed  and  fifteen  wounded, 
the  commanded  existing  on  horseflesh,  only,  for  a  period  of  eight  days. 


14 

The  gallantry  displayed  by  this  brave  little  command  is  worthy  of  the 
highest  commendation,  but  it  was  only  in  keeping  with  the  character  of 
the  two  gallant  officers  in  command  of  it,  Brevet  Colonel  G.  A.  Forsyth, 
and  Lieutenant  Frederick  H.  Beecher.  While  the  command  was  belea 
guered,  two  scouts  stole  through  the  Indian  lines  and  brought  word  to 
Fort  Wallace  of  its  perilous  situation.  Brevet  Colonel  H.  C.  Bankhead, 
Captain  5th  Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Wallace,  with  the  most  com 
mendable  energy  started  to  its  relief  with  one  hundred  men  from  that 
point,  and  Brevet  Lieut.  Colonel  Carpenter's  company  of  the  10th  Cav 
alry,  reaching  Forsyth  on  the  morning  of  the  25th  of  September.  Upon 
receipt  by  telegraph  and  couriers,  of  the  news  of  Eorsyth's  desperate  sit 
uation,  a  column  of  troops  under  General  Bradley,  from  the  Department 
of  the  Platte,  then  in  the  field,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Republican  River, 
also  pushed  hard  for  the  scene  of  his  fight,  to  lend  assistance,  arriving 
almost  simultaneously  with  the  relief  column  of  Colonel  Bankhead,  from 
Fort  Wallace,  Kansas. 

September  19th,  Captain  Bankhead,  5th  Infantry,  Fort  Wallace, 
reported  a  body  of  fifteen  Indians  had  fired  into  the  Mexican  ranch,  four 
miles  east  of  Big  Timber,  Kansas. 

September  29th,  on  Sharp's  Creek,  Indians  attacked  a  house,  captur 
ing  Mr.  Bassett,  his  wife  and  child.  They  burned  the  house,  killed  Mr. 
Bassett,  and  after  carrying  off  Mrs.  Bassett,  with  her  baby  only  two  days 
old,  finding  her  too  weak  to  travel,  they  outraged  her,  stripped  her  naked 
and  left  her  with  her  infant  to  perish  on  the  prairie. 

October  2d,  General  Hazen  reported  an  attack  on  Fort  Zarah  by 
about  one  hundred  Indians  who  were,  however,  driven  off.  They  then 
attacked  a  provision  train,  killed  a  teamster  and  stole  the  mules  from 
four  teams,  after  which  they  attacked  a  ranch,  eight  miles  distant,  and 
drove  off  one  hundred  and  sixty  head  of  stock.  General  Sully  also 
reported  an  attack  by  Indians  on  a  train  between  Fort  Larned  and  Fort 
Dodge;  three  citizens  were  killed,  three  wounded  and  over  fifty  mules 
run  off. 

October  4th,  Major  Douglass  reported  that  Indians  had  wounded  a 
Mexican  at  Lime-Kiln;  also  that  they  had  attacked  a  train  on  the  road, 
killed  two  men,  wounded  two,  destroyed  stores  and  ran  off  stock,  whilst 
also,  at  Asher  Creek  settlement,  Indians  ran  off  seven  head  of  horses  and 
mules. 

October  10th,  eight  horses  and  mules  were  run  off  from  Fort  Zarah, 
as  reported  by  Lieut.  Kaiser,  3d  Infantry. 

October  llth,  Captain  Penrose,  3d  Infantry,  reported  three  hundred 
Indians  on  the  Purgatoire,  on  October  7th,  and  that  they  had  killed  a 
Mexican  and  run  off  thirty-eight  head  of  stock. 

October   12th,  Lieutenant   Belger,  3d  Infantry,  reported  a  party  of 


15 

Indians  near  Ellsworth,  Kansas,  where  they  killed  one  man  arid  several 
were  missing. 

October  13th,  a  house  at  Brown's  Creek  was  attacked. 

October  14th,  Indians  attacked  camp  of  5th  Cavalry  on  Prairie  Dog 
Creek,  Kansas.  Of  Troop  "  L,"  5th  Cavalry,  one  man  was  killed  and 
one  wounded.  The  Indians  also  ran  off  twenty-six  cavalry  horses.  On 
the  same  day  Captain  Penrose,  3d  Infantry,  reported  that  Indians  had 
attacked  a  train  on  Sand  Creek,  Colorado.  Led  by  "  Satanta,"  chief  of 
the  Kiowas,  they  ran  off  the  cattle  and  captured  a  Mrs.  Blinn  and  her 
child.  These  prisoners  were  afterwards  cruelly  murdered  by  the  Indians, 
in  General  Custer's  attack  on  "  Black  Kettle's"  camp,  November  27th. 

October  loth,  on  Fisher  and  Yocucy  Creeks,  a  house  was  attacked, 
four  persons  killed,  one  wounded,  arid  one  woman  captured. 

October  18th,  on  Beaver  Creek,  Kansas,  Troops  "  H,"  "  I,"  and  "  M," 
10th  Cavalry,  Captain  L.  H.  Carpenter,  commanding,  had  a  fight  with  a 
large  body  of  Indians,  in  which-  three  soldiers  were  wounded  and  ten 
Indians  killed. 

October  23d,  at  Fort  Zarah  two  persons  were  killed  by  Indians  who 
sustained  a  loss  of  two  killed. 

October  25th  and  26th,  a  column  consisting  of  Troops  "A,"  "  B,"  "  F," 
"H,"  "  I,"  "  L,"  and  "  M,"  5th  Cavalry,  and  a  company  of  scouts,  under 
Major  E.  A.  Carr,  5th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with  a  large  body  of  Indians 
on  Beaver  Creek,  Kansas.  One  soldier  was  wounded;  the  Indians  had 
thirty  killed,  a  number  wounded,  and  lost,  also,  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  ponies,  mostly  killed,  besides  a  large  amount  of  camp  equipage. 

October  26th,  near  Central  City,  New  Mexico,  three  citizens  were 
killed  by  Indians. 

October  30th,  in  an  attack  on  Grinnell  Station,  Kansas,  one  Indian 
was  wounded. 

November  7th,  on  Coon  Creek,  Kansas,  the  stage  was  attacked  and  a 
horse  captured  by  Indians. 

November  15th,  a  squadron  of  the  7th  Cavalry  struck  a  party  of 
Indians  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  from  Fort  Harker  and  pursued  them 
for  ten  miles;  Indian  loss,  estimated,  was  five  wounded. 

November  17th,  Indians  attacked  a  train  seven  miles  from  Fort  Har 
ker  and  ran  ofi"  about  one  hundred  arid  fifty  mules. 

November  18th,  Indians  killed  two  government  scouts,  seven  miles 
from  Fort  Hays,  Kansas,  and  captured  their  horses. 

November  19th,  on  Little  Coon  Creek,  Kansas,  one  person  was  mur 
dered  and  five  Indians  killed.  The  same  day  near  Fort  Dodge,  one 
white  person  and  two  Indians  were  killed.  In  the  same  vicinity  a 
detachment  of  Troop  "A,"  10th  Cavalry,  under  Sergeant  Wilson,  had  a 
fight  in  which  two  Indians  were  killed.  Indians  also  attempted  to  stam 
pede  the  beef  contractor's  herd,  half  a  mile  from  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas; 


16 

Lieutenant  Q.  Campbell,  5th  Infantry,  with  companies  "A,"  and  "  H,"  3d 
Infantry,  and  a  detachme'nt  of  5th  Infantry,  pursued  the  Indians  for  seven 
miles,  killing  four  and  wounding  six  of  them.  The  troops  had  three  men 
wounded. 

November  20th,  on  Mulberry  Creek,  south  of  Fort  Dodge,  two  govern 
ment  scouts  named  Marshall  and  Davis,  were  killed  by  Indians. 

November  25th,  in  the  Indian   Territory,  twenty  horses  and  mules 
were  stolen  and  two  Indians  killed. 


In  addition  to  the  foregoing  murders  and  outrages,  the  following  were 
reported  by  Acting  Indian  Agent,  S.  T.  Walkley,  and  P.  McCusker, 
U.  S.  Interpreter;  all  occurring  in  northern  Texas.  January,  1868, 
twenty-five  persons  were  killed,  nine  scalped  and  fourteen  children  cap 
tured;  the  latter  were  afterwards  frozen  to  death  whilst  in  captivity.  In 
February,  seven  were  killed,  fifty  horses  and  mules  stolen  and  five  chil 
dren  captured;  two  of  the  latter  were  surrendered  to  Colonel  Leaven- 
worth,  and  the  remaining  three  taken  to  Kansas.  In  May,  three  houses 
were  attacked,  plundered  and  burned.  In  June,  one  person  was  killed 
and  three  children  belonging  to  Mr.  McElroy,  captured;  while  in  July, 
on  the  Brazos  River,  Texas,  four  persons  were  killed.  In  nearly  all  these 
instances,  the  most  savage  and  horrible  barbarities  were  perpetrated  upon 
the  unfortunate  victims  of  the  Indians. 

So  boldly  had  this  system  of  murder  and  robbery  been  carried  on, 
that,  since  June,  1862,  not  less  than  eight  hundred  persons  had  been 
murdered,  the  Indians  escaping  from  the  troops,  by  traveling  at  night, 
when  their  trail  could  not  be  followed,  thus  gaining  enough  time  and  dis 
tance  to  render  pursuit,  in  most  cases,  fruitless.  This  wholesale  maraud 
ing  would  be  maintained  during  the  seasons  when  the  Indian  ponies 
could  subsist  upon  the  grass,  and  then,  in  the  winter,  the  savages  would 
hide  away,  with  their  villages,  in  remote  and  isolated  places,  to  live  upon 
their  plunder,  glory  in  the  scalps  taken  and  in  the  horrible  debasement 
of  the  unfortunate  women  whom  they  held  as  prisoners.  The  experience 
of  many  years  of  this  character  of  depredations,  with  perfect  immunity  to 
themselves  and  families,  had  made  the  Indians  very  bold.  To  disabuse 
their  minds  of  the  idea  that  they  were  secure  from  punishment,  and  to 
strike  them  at  a  period  when  they  were  helpless  to  move  their  stock  and 
villages,  a  winter  campaign  was  projected  against  the  large  bands  hiding 
away  in  the  Indian  Territory. 

General  Getty,  commanding  the  District  of  New  Mexico,  was  directed 
to  send  out  a  column  from  Fort  Bascom,  New  Mexico;  this  was  com 
manded  by  Brevet  Lieut.  Colonel  A.  W.  Evans,  3d  Cavalry.  Another 
was  started  out  from  Fort  Lyon,  Colorado,  under  General  E.  A.  Carr; 


17 

whilst  a  third,  and  the  largest,  consisting  of  eleven  troops  of  the  7th 
Cavalry,  under  General  Ouster,  and  twelve  companies  of  Kansas  volun 
teer  cavalry,  together  with  several  companies  of  the  3d  and  5th  Infantry, 
was  organized,  at  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  under  command  of  General  Sully. 
The  last  named  expedition  established  "  Camp  Supply"  in  the  Indian 
Territory,  whither  the  Department  Commander,  General  Sheridan,  pro 
ceeded  in  person  to  supervise  operations  during  this  experimental  cam 
paign. 

General  Sheridan  personally  accompanied  the  main  column  from 
Camp  Supply  to  Fort  Cobb,  directing  all  of  its  operations  as  well  as  those 
of  the  columns  from  Fort  Lyon,  under  General  Carr,  and  from  Fort  Bas- 
com,  under  Colonel  Evans,  until  the  final  surrender  of  the  Indians  and 
the  close  of  the  winter's  campaign. 

The  objects  of  the  winter's  operations  were  to  strike  the  Indians  a 
hard  blow  and  force  them  on  to  the  reservations  set  apart  for  them;  or, 
if  this  could  not  be  accomplished,  to  show  to  the  Indian  that  the  winter 
season  would  not  give  him  rest;  that  he  with  his  villages  and  stock,  could 
be  destroyed;  that  he  would  have  no  security,  winter  or  summer,  except 
in  obeying  the  laws  of  peace  and  humanity. 

The  plan  of  operations  to  accomplish  these  purposes,  was  to  allow  the 
small  column  from  Fort  Bascom,  consisting  of  six  troops  of  cavajfry, 
two  companies  of  infantry,  and  four  mountain  howitzers,  aggregating 
five  hundred  and  sixty-three  men,  operate  along  the  main  Canadian, 
establishing  a  depot  at  Monument  Creek,  and  remaining  out  as  long  as  it 
could  be  supplied,  at  least  until  sometime  in  January;  the  column  of 
General  Carr,  seven  troops  of  the  Fifth  Cavalry,  to  unite  with  a  force 
under  Captain  Penrose,  then  out,  composed  of  one  troop  of  the  7th  and 
four  of  the  10th  Cavalry,  establish  a  depot  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
North  Canadian,  and  operate  south  towards  the  Antelope  Hills  and  head 
waters  of  Red  River.  These  columns  were  really  beaters  in  and  were 
not  expected  to  accomplish  much.  The  main  column  from  "  Camp  Sup 
ply"  was  expected  to  strike  the  Indians,  either  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
Washita,  or  still  further  south  on  the  branches  of  Red  River. 

November  26th,  General  Custer  struck  the  trail  of  a  war  party,  com 
posed  of  "  Black  Kettle's"  band  of  Cheyennes,  with  other  Cheyennes  and 
Arapahoes.  They  had  been  north,  had  killed  the  mail  carriers  between 
Dodge  and  Larned,  also  an  old  hunter  at  Dodge,  and  two  expressmen 
sent  back,  by  General  Sheridan  with  letters.  As  soon  as  Custer  struck 
the  trail  he  corraled  his  wagons,  left  a  small  escort  with  them  and  fol 
lowed  the  Indian  trail,  which  was  very  fresh  and  well  marked  in  the  deep 
snow,  until  it  led  into  Black  Kettle's  village  on  the  Washita.  The  next 
morning,  before  daylight,  the  Usage  Indian  trailers  discovered  the  village 
of  the  Indians,  and  notified  Custer,  who  at  once  made  the  most  admirable 
dispositions  for  its  attack  and  capture.  At  dawn  a  charge  was  made,  the 


18 

village  captured  and  burned,  eight  hundred  horses  or  ponies  shot,  in 
accordance  with  positive  orders,  one  hundred  and  three  warriors  killed, 
and  fifty-three  squaws  and  children  captured. 

Whilst  this  work  was  going  on,  all  the  Indians  for  a  distance  of  fifteen 
miles,  down  the  Washita,  collected  and  attacked  Ouster;  these  Indians 
were  Cheyennes,  Comanches,  Kiowas  and  Apaches;  they  were  driven 
down  the  stream  for  a  distance  of  four  or  five  miles,  when,  as  ni<yht  was 
approaching,  Custer  withdrew  and  returned  to  a  small  train  of  provisions 
which  he  had  directed  to  follow  up  his  movements.  Our  loss,  in  the 
attack  at  the  village,  was  Captain  Louis  M.  Hamilton  and  three  men 
killed,  with  three  officers  and  eleven  men  wounded.  Unfortunately, 
Major  Elliott,  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  a  very  gallant  and  promising  young 
officer,  seeing  some  of  the  young  boys  escape,  followed,  with  the  Ser 
geant  Major  and  fifteen  men  to  capture  and  bring  them  in;  after  secur 
ing  them  and  while  on  their  way  back  to  the  regiment,  Elliott's  party 
were  surrounded  and  killed.  It  occurred  in  this  way:  Elliott  followed 
the  boys,  shortly  after  the  attack  on  the  viilage,  taking  a  course  due 
south,  and  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  Washita  River.  After  traveling 
south  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  village,  a  very  small  branch  of  the  Wash 
ita  was  crossed  and  an  open  prairie  reached;  on  this  prairie  the  boys  were 
captured  and  were  being  brought  back,  when  the  party  was  attacked  by 
Indians  from  below,  numbering  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred. 
Elliott  fought  his  way  back  towards  the  small  creek  before  named,  until 
within  rifle  range  of  the  creek,  when  he  was  stopped  by  Indians  who  had 
taken  position  in  the  bed  of  the  creek  and  picked  off  his  men  who 
formed  a  little  circle,  around  which  their  dead  and  horribly  mutilated 
bodies  were  found.  No  one  of  those  back  with  the  regiment  knew  of 
Elliott's  party  having  followed  the  Indian  boys;  no  one  heard  the  report 
of  their  guns  and  no  one  knew  of  their  exact  fate  until  they  were  discov 
ered  afterwards,  savagely  mutilated  almost  beyond  recognition. 

General  Custer,  after  destroying  the  village  and  driving  the  Indians 
some  four  or  five  miles  down  the  Washita,  returned,  as  before  mentioned, 
to  the  train  of  supplies  which  he  had  directed  to  follow  him  and  next  day 
started  back  to  Camp  Supply  with  his  prisoners,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
1st  of  December. 

The  blow  that  Custer  had  struck  was  a  hard  one,  and  fell  on  the 
guiltiest  of  all  the  bands,  that  of  Black  Kettle.  It  was  this  band,  with 
others,  that,  without  provocation,  had  massacred  the  settlers  on  the 
Saline  and  Solomon,  and  perpetrated  cruelties  too  fiendish  for  recital. 

In  his  camp  were  found  numerous  articles  recognized  as  the  property 
of  the  unfortunate  victims  of  the  butcheries  before  described;  also  a 
blank  book  with  Indian  illustrations  of  the  various  deviltries  they  had 
perpetrated.  They  had  spared  neither  age  nor  sex;  in  all  instances  rav 
ishing  the  women,  sometimes  forty  or  fifty  times,  and  whilst  insensible 


19 

from  brutality  and  exhaustion,  forced  sticks  up  their  persons.  On  one 
occasion  a  savage  drew  a  sabre  and  used  it  in  the  same  barbarous  man 
ner  upon  the  person  of  the  wretched  woman  who  had  fallen  into  his 
hands. 

With  the  capture  and  destruction  of  Black  Kettle's  village,  the  work 
of  the  expedition  was  not  complete.  Although  the  weather  was  bitter 
cold,  the  thermometer  18°  below  zero,  with  blinding  snow  storms  raging, 
the  column  pressed  on,  digging  and  bridging  ravines  for  the  passage  of 
the  train.  This  was  continued  until  the  evening  of  December  16th,  when 
the  vicinity  of  the  Indians  was  again  reached.  They  were  mostly  Kiowas 
and  did  not  dream  that  soldiers  could  operate  against  them  in  such  awful 
weather.  Completely  taken  by  surprise,  they  agreed  that  all  the  warriors 
should  join  the  column  and  march  with  it  to  Fort  Cobb,  while  their  vil 
lages  moved  to  the  same  point.  This  was  only  a  decoy,  however,  to  save 
themselves  from  attack;  for  all  slipped  off,  excepting  the  head  chiefs 
Satan ta  and  Lone  Wolf,  whom  Ouster  had  been  ordered  to  arrest.  When 
the  column  reached  Fort  Oobb,  it  was  found  that  the  villages,  instead  of 
moving  there,  were  already  nearly  a  hundred  miles  distant,  hurrying  in 
the  opposite  direction.  Orders  were  immediately  issued  for  the  execu 
tion  of  the  chiefs  Satanta  and  Lone  Wolf,  unless  the  villages  should 
deliver  themselves  up  at  Fort  Cobb,  in  two  days.  All  came  back  even 
tually,  under  this  pressure,  and  the  lives  of  their  chiefs  were  saved.  At 
Fort  Cobb  were  found  most  of  the  Comanches  and  Apaches,  who  had 
hastened  in  to  the  reservation,  there,  after  the  fight  with  Custer,  on  the 
Washita,  November  27th. 

While  these  operations  were  going  on,  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  A. 
W.  Evans  moved  from  Fort  Bascom  up  the  main  Canadian,  to  Monument 
Creek,  there  established  his  depot,  and  with  the  most  commendable 
energy,  struck  off  south,  on  to  the  headwaters  of  Red  River,  discovered  a 
trail  of  hostile  Comanches  who  had  refused  to  come  in,  followed  it  up 
with  perseverance,  and  on  the  25th  of  December,  attacked  the  party, 
killed,  as  nearly  as  could  be  ascertained,  'twenty-five,  wounded  a  large 
number,  captured  and  burned  their  village,  destroyed  a  large  amount  of 
property  and  then  moved  to  a  point  about  twelve  miles  west  of  Fort 
Cobb. 

Meanwhile,  General  Carr  was  scouting  along  the  main  Canadian,  west 
of  the  Antelope  Hills,  and  the  country  was  becoming  so  unhealthy  for 
Indians,  that  the  Arapahoes  and  the  remainder  of  the  Cheyennes  con 
cluded  to  surrender  and  go  upon  the  reservation  selected  for  them.  The 
operations  of  the  troops  had  forced  these  Indians  over  into  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  Staked  Plains,  where  there  was  no  game,  and  the  limited 
amount  of  supplies  which  they  had  been  able  to  put  up  for  the  winter, 
had  been  mostly  lost  in  the  engagement  on  the  Washita  and  in  their  sub 
sequent  flight. 


20 

The  surrender  was  made  by  "  Little  Robe,"  with  other  representative 
chiefs,  for  the  Cheyennes,  by  "  Little  Raven  "  and  "  Yellow  Bear,"  for 
the  Arapahoes,  by  "  Lone  Wolf  and  "  Satanta,"  for  the  Kiowas,  and  by 
"  Esse-Ha-Habit,"  for  the  Comanches  ;  they  agreed  to  deliver  up  their 
people  at  Fort  Cobb,  as  speedily  as  possible,  claiming  that  it  would  take 
some  time  to  get  in,  on  account  of  the  exhausted  condition  of  their  stock. 

The  Arapahoes  were  faithful  to  their  agreement  and  delivered  them 
selves  up  under  their  head  chief,  "  Little  Raven."  The  Cheyennes  broke 
their  promise  and  did  not  come  in,  so  General  Ouster  was  ordered  against 
them,  and  came  upon  them  on  the  headwaters  of  Red  River,  apparently 
moving  north;  it  is  possible  they  were  on  their  way  to  Camp  Supply,  as 
they  had  been  informed  that,  if  they  did  not  get  into  the  Fort  Cobb 
reservation  within  a  certain  time,  they  would  not  be  received  there,  but 
would  be  received  at  Camp  Supply. 

Custer  found  them  in  a  very  forlorn  condition,  and  could  have 
destroyed  most  of  the  tribe,  certainly  their  villages,  but  contented  him 
self  with  taking  their  renewed  promise  to  come  into  Camp  Supply,  and 
obtained  from  them  two  white  women  whom  they  held  as  captives.  The 
most  of  the  tribe  fulfilled  this  latter  promise  so  far  as  coming  into  the 
vicinity  of  Camp  Supply  and  communicating  with  the  commanding  offi 
cer;  but  "  Tall  Bulls"  band  again  violated  the  promise  made  and  went 
north  to  the  Republican,  where  they  joined  a  party  of  Sioux,  who,  on  the 
13th  of  May,  1869,  were  attacked  by  General  Carr  and  defeated  with 
heavy  loss;  whereupon,  the  whole  tribe  moved  into  Camp  Supply. 

Whilst  the  Arapahoes  and  Cheyennes  were  negotiating  for  surrender, 
the  Quehada,  or  Staked  Plains  Comanches,  sent  a  delegation  to  Fort  Bas- 
com,  offering  to  surrender  themselves,  expecting,  perhaps,  to  obtain  bet 
ter  terms  there  than  had  been  offered  them  already;  but  General  Getty 
arrested  the  delegation  which  was  ordered  to  Fort  Leavenworth  and 
finally  returned  to  their  people,  upon  condition  that  they  would  all 
deliver  themselves  up  on  the  reservation  at  Medicine  Bluff  or  at  Fort 
Sill.  This  they  complied  wii?h  and  so  were  fulfilled  all  the  objects  had  in 
view  at  the  commencement  of  the  winter's  campaign,  viz.;  punishment 
inflicted,  property  destroyed,  the  Indians  convinced  that  winter  would  no 
longer  bring  them  security,  and  most  of  the  tribes  south  of  the  Platte 
forced  upon  the  reservations  set  apart  for  them  by  the  government. 

In  all,  from  March  2d,  1868,  to  February  9th,  1869,  there  were  offici 
ally  reported  in  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  officers,  soldiers  and  citizens,  killed,  wounded,  or  captured  by 
Indians.  Of  the  Indians  there  were  reported,  officially,  three  hundred 
and  nineteen  killed,  two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  wounded  and  fifty- 
three  captured.  The  numbers  of  the  Indians  who  surrendered  at  the 
various  points  mentioned,  were  not  officially  ascertained,  with  accuracy, 
but  they  amounted  to  about  twelve  thousand. 


1869. 


Whilst  the  majority  of  the  Indians  who  had  been  devastating  the  lines 
of  the  Arkansas,  the  Smoky  Hill  and  the  southern  tributaries  of  the 
Republican,  were  now  upon  reservations,  depredating  continued  in  vari 
ous  localities,  and  engagements  with  Indians  were  constantly  reported. 

January  28th,  among  the  settlements  on  the  Solomon  River,  a  scouting 
party  of  the  7th  Cavalry  had  two  men  wounded,  six  Indians  being 
reported  killed  and  ten  wounded. 

January  29th,  on  Mulberry  Creek,  Kansas,  a  detachment  of  Cavalry 
under  Captain  Edward  Byrne,  10th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  in  which  two 
men  were  wounded  »nd  six  Indians  killed. 

February  7th,  troops  from  Fort  Selden,  New  Mexico,  pursued  Indians 
who  had  stolen  stock  three  miles  from  that  post,  but  the  marauders 
escaped  into  the  mountains  before  they  could  be  overtaken. 

March  9th,  near  Fort  Harker,  Kansas,  Indians  with  stolen  stock  were 
overtaken  by  troops,  five  Indians  captured  and  all  the  stock  recovered. 

March  17th,  near  Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico,  Apaches  committed 
some  murders  and  depredations.  Troops  pursued  them  hotly  to  their 
village  which,  with  its  contents,  was  burned  and  five  Indians  wounded; 
no  casualties  to  the  troops. 

April  7th,  on  the  Musselshell  River,  Montana,  detachments  of  Com 
panies  "  D,"  "F,"  and  "  G,"  13th  Infantry,  commanded  by  Captain  E. 
W.  Clift,  13th  Infantry,  had  a  fight  in  which  nine  Indians  were  killed; 
one  soldier  was  killed  and  two  wounded. 

April  16th,  near  Fort  Wallace,  Kansas,  Indians  attacked  and  chased 
an  officer  and  his  escort  into  the  post,  but  without  casualties  on  either 
side. 

April  20th,  in  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  troops  pursued  maraud 
ing  Indians, — locality  not  stated, — wounded  three  Indians,  burned  their 
camp  and  recovered  fifty  head  of  stolen  stock. 

April  22d,  in  Sangre  Canon,  New  Mexico,  a  cavalry  scouting  party 
overtook  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  wounding  five  of  them,  and  recover 
ing  nineteen  horses  and  a  stolen  cheque  for  $500. 

May  2d,  near  San  Augustine,  New  Mexico,  Indians  ambushed  a  train 
guarded  by  soldiers  and  made  a  desperate  but  unsuccessful  effort  to  cap 
ture  it.  Two  soldiers  were  killed  and  four  wounded;  five  Indians  were 
killed  and  ten  reported  wounded. 


22 

May  10th,  at  Fort  Hays,  Kansas,  Indian  prisoners  made  a  murderous 
assault  with  knives  upon  their  guards,  mortally  wounding  the  Sergeant 
in  charge,  but  were  overpowered. 

Extensive  field  operations  against  the  southern  Indians  having  been 
relieved  by  the  surrender  of  large  numbers  and  the  escape  northward  of 
bands  who  went  in  that  direction  to  join  their  allies  'in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Platte,  the  column  of  seven  troops  of  the  5th  Cavalry  which,  under 
General  Carr,  had  scouted  southward  from  Fort  Lyon,  the  previous 
winter,  marching  upwards  of  twelve  hundred  miles,  was  directed  to 
proceed  across  the  country  from  the  Arkansas  to  the  Platte,  carefully 
patroling  the  valleys  of  the  intermediate  streams  for  any  bands  of  hos- 
tiles  lurking  there.  The  command  left  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Wallace, 
Kansas,  May  10th,  and  on  the  13th  found  indications  of  Indians  upon 
Beaver  Creek.  A  party  of  ten  men,  under  Lieutenant  Ward,  were  sent 
to  reconnoitre  and  about  eight  miles  from  "  Elephant  Rock,"  saw  the 
smoke  of  a  large  village.  Lieutenant  Ward's  reconnoissance  was  dis 
covered  by  a  hunting  party  of  Indians  and  his  detachment  narrowly 
escaped  capture,  being  obliged  to  charge  through  the.  Indians  in  regaining 
the  main  column.  The  latter  in  full  force  galloped  off  to  the  attack  of 
the  village  which  had  taken  flight,  upon  their  discovering  the  troops,  the 
warriors  remaining  back  to  fight  and  cover  the  retreat  of  their  families. 
The  column  made  a  brilliant  charge  in  which  three  soldiers  were  killed 
and  four  wounded  ;  of  the  Indians,  twenty-five  were  reported  killed 
and  fifty  wounded.  Night  came  on  and  the  following  morning,  after 
destroying  the  Indian  camp  with  much  of  its  property,  the  pursuit  was 
taken  up,  the  wagon  train  dropped  with  an  escort,  and  the  column, 
with  five  days  rations  on  their  horses,  pushed  ahead  upon  the  trail.  This 
was  followed  energetically  and  on  May  16th,  on  Spring  Creek,  Nebraska, 
the  advance  guard  under  Lieutenant  Volkmar,  5th  Cavalry,  overtook  the 
Indians,  about  four  hundred  warriors  strong,  who  turned  upon  the  party 
and  nearly  captured  it,  after  a  determined  resistance  in  which  three 
soldiers  were  wounded  and  many  of  the  horses,  the  detachment  defend 
ing  themselves  stoutly  behind  the  bodies  of  their  horses  against  repeated 
charges.  The  main  column  arrived  in  time  to  rescue  the  advance  guard, 
the  Indians  taking  flight  before  they  could  be  struck  in  force.  A  hot 
chase  for  some  fifteen  miles  ensued  across  the  Republican  again  south 
ward,  the  Indians  at  dark  breaking  up  into  small  parties  which  descended 
anew  upon  the  Kansas  settlements.  The  column  proceeded  to  the 
Platte  River,  whence,  after  refitting  at  Fort  McPherson,  it  returned  to 
search  for  the  Indians  who  proved  to  be  the  "  Dog  Soldier"  Cheyennes. 

May  18th,  Indians  ran  off  stock  near  Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico, 
were  pursued  by  troops  and  their  village  destroyed. 

May  25th,  the  settlements  in  Jewell  County,  Kansas,  were  raided,  six 
citizens  killed  and  three  women  outraged. 


23 

May  26th,  near  the  town  of  Sheridan,  Kansas,  Indians  attacked  a 
wagon  train,  wounded  two  teamsters  and  ran  off  three  hundred  mules. 

May  29th,  Indians  attacked  Fossil  Station,  Kansas,  killed  two  persons, 
wounded  four,  and  at  night  threw  a  train  from  the  track  of  the  Kansas 
Pacific  Railway. 

May  30th,  on  Salt  Creek,  Kansas,  Indians  killed  a  settler,  attacked 
three  couriers  of  the  7th  Cavalry  and  chased  them  for  ten  miles.  They 
also  attacked  three  government  teamsters,  near  Fort  Hays,  Kansas,  and 
drove  them  into  the  post. 

May  31st,  a  government  train  was  attacked  on  Rose  Creek,  Kansas; 
two  sojdiers  and  five  Indians  were  reported  wounded. 

June  1st,  on  Solomon  River,  Kansas,  the  ca.mp  of  a  detachment  of  the 
7th  Cavalry  was  attacked,  one  soldier  and  one  Indian  were  reported 
wounded,  and  three  Indian  ponies  were  captured  by  the  troops.  On  the 
same  day,  the  settlements  on  the  Solomon  River  were  raided,  thirteen 
men  killed,  houses  burned  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  stock 
run  off.  A  detachment  of  cavalry  followed  the  trail  in  pursuit,  but  with 
out  success. 

June  4th,  Indians  pulled  up  the  track  of  the  railroad  at  Grinnell  Sta 
tion,  Kansas,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  military  guard  there. 

June  10th,  on  the  Solomon  River,  Kansas,  Indians  attempted  to  stam 
pede  the  stock  at  the  camp  of  a  scouting  party,  but  were  fired  upon  by 
the  sentinels  and  escaped.  On  the  same  day  the  settlements  on  Asher 
Creek,  Kansas,  were  raided  and  fifteen  head  of  stock  run  off.  The  Indians 
were  pursued  ten  miles  by  a  party  of  cavalry,  were  attacked  and  the 
stolen  stock  recovered. 

June  llth,  on  the  Solomon  River,  Indians  attacked  the  flankers  of  an 
artillery  command  under  Captain  Graham,  1st  Artillery,  but  were  routed 
and  pursued. 

June  12th,  on  the  Solomon,  some  cavalry  struck  and  pursued  the  trail 
of  a  band  which  had  been  depredating  upon  that  stream,  but  did  not  suc 
ceed  in  overtaking  the  Indians.  At  Edinburg,  Kansas,  Indians  ran  off 
twenty  head  of  cattle,  were  pursued  and  the  stock  recovered.  The  set 
tlements  on  the  Solomon  were  again  raided,  about  ten  persons  killed  and 
some  two  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  stock  run  off. 

June  19th,  near  Sheridan,  Kansas,  a  surveying  party,  escorted  by  a 
detachment  of  the  7th  Cavalry  were  attacked;  the  escort  had  two  men 
wounded,  but  repulsed  the  Indians  with  a  loss  of  four  killed  and  twelve 
wounded.  The  same  day  Indians  attacked  a  government  train  near  Fort 
Wallace,  Kansas,  and  drove  it  into  the  post;  troops  from  the  garrison 
pursued  the  Indians,  capturing  one  pony;  no  casualties. 

June  20th,  at  Scandinavia,  Kansas,  the  settlement  was  raided  by 
Indians;  they  were  pursued  by  a  detachment  of  cavalry  and  one  Indian 
killed. 


24 

June  26th,  Indians  dashed  into  the  town  of  Sheridan,  Kansas,  killed 
one  man  and  pursued  another  who,  however,  escaped. 

These  depredations  were  doubtless  mostly  committed  by  the  large 
band  which  had  been  fought  by  General  Carr's  command,  on  the  Beaver 
and  other  streams,  in  May.  This  column  of  seven  troops  5th  Cavalry, 
having  refitted  at  Fort  McPherson,  Nebraska,  returned,  with  three 
mounted  companies  of  Pawnees,  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Beaver  and  Solo 
mon,  found  several  trails  of  the  Indians  and  followed  them  until  they 
united  upon  the  Republican  River,  not  far  from  the  scene  of  Forsyth's 
severe  fight  the  preceding  September. 

July  5th,  three  troops  of  the  5th  Cavalry,  and  one  company  of  Rawnee 
scouts,  from  this  column,  under  the  command  of  Major  W.  B.  Royall,  5th 
Cavalry,  struck  a  war  party,  not  far  north  of  the  Republican,  killed  three, 
wounded  several  and  the  balance  escaped;  the  troops  returned  to  the 
camp  of  the  main  column  on  the  Republican. 

July  8th,  a  detachment  of  four  men,  Troop  "  M,"  5th  Cavalry,  in  com 
ing  back  to  the  camp  of  General  Carr's  command,  were  attacked  by 
Indians;  Corporal  Kyle,  in  charge  of  this  party,  made  a  very  gallant 
defense,  wounding  two  of  the  Indians  and  succeeding  in  reaching  the 
camp.  A  dash  was  made  into  the  camp,  about  midnight,  by  Indians 
attempting  to  stampede  the  herd;  one  of  the  Pawnee  sentinels  was 
wounded  but  the  Indians  were  driven  off  without  other  loss  to  the  com 
mand.  The  next  day  the  trail  of  the  Indians  was  pursued  rapidly,  the 
wagons  dropped  with  an  escort,  and  on 

July  llth,  the  main  village  was  completely  surprised  on  "  Summit 
Springs,"  a  small  tributary  of  the  South  Platte,  in  Colorado.  Seven 
troops  of  the  5th  Cavalry  and  three  companies  of  mounted  Pawnee 
scouts  charged  the  village  which,  with  its  contents,  was  captured  and 
burned.  Fifty-two  Indians  were  killed,  an  unknown  number  wounded, 
and  seventeen  captured,  among  the  killed  being  "  Tall  Bull,"  the  chief 
of  the  band.  Two  hundred  and  seventy-four  horses,  one  hundred  and 
forty-four  mules,  quantities  of  arms  and  ammunition  and  about  $1,500  in 
U.  S.  money,  were  among  the  more  important  items  of  the  extensive  cap 
tures.  So  perfect  was  the  surprise  and  so  swift  the  charge,  over  a  dis 
tance  of  several  miles,  that  the  Indians  could  do  little  but  spring  upon 
their  ponies  and  fly,  and  the  casualties  to  the  troops  were  only  one  sol 
dier  wounded,  one  horse  shot  and  twelve  horses  killed  by  the  hot  and 
exhausting  charge.  In  the  Indian  camp  were  two  unfortunate  white 
women  captives  from  the  Kansas  settlements,  a  Mrs.  Alderdice  and  a 
Mrs.  Wiechell.  The  former  had  a  baby  whom  the  Indians  had  strangled. 
After  enduring  the  saddest  miseries,  whilst  prisoners,  at  the  very  moment 
of  rescue  by  the  troops,  both  women  were  shot  by  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Alder- 
dice  was  found  dead,  with  her  skull  crushed  in;  Mrs.  Wiechell  was  shot  in 
the  breast,  but  the  bullet  was  extracted  from  her  back  by  the  surgeon, 


25 

Dr.  Tesson.  Mrs.  Alderdice  was  laid  in  a  grave  dug  where  she  perished, 
the  troops  assembled  and  the  burial  service  read  over  her  by  an  officer. 
With  such  care  as  the  troops  could  afford  Mrs.  Wiechell  whilst  on  the 
march,  she  was  carried  to  Fort  Sedgwick,  Colorado,  where  she  eventually 
recovered,  the  soldiers  turning  over  the  captured  money  to  this  unhappy 
woman  who  had  seen  her  husband  murdered  and  mutilated,  her  home  and 
friends  destroyed  and  had  herself,  according  to  her  own  pitiful  and 
broken  story,  been  the  victim  of  miseries  almost  too  awful  for  descrip 
tion. 

July  10th  to  July  17th,  in  New  Mexico,  upon  the  stage  route  the 
coaches  were  attacked  three  times  in  one  week,  the  Indians  capturing  all 
the  mails,  robbing  the  passengers  and  killing  ten  persons,  in  all. 

July  25th,  troops  struck  the  trail  of  hostile  Indians  near  Fort  Stanton, 
New  Mexico,  pursued  the  savages  to  their  village,  totally  destroyed  it,  and 
recaptured  three  stolen  mules,  the  Indians  escaping  amongst  the  canons; 
no  casualties.  • 

July  27th,  troops  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  who  had  committed 
depredations  in  New  Mexico,  overtaking  and  charging  the  savages, 
wounding  three  of  them,  capturing  three  Indian  ponies  and  recovering 
some  stolen  stock. 

August  2d,  the  column  of  the  5th  Cavalry  with  three  companies  of  Paw 
nee  scouts,  which  had  struck  Tall  Bull's  camp  at  "  Summit  Springs,"  July 
llth,  having  refitted  at  Fort  Sedgwick,  Colorado,  started  out  again  under 
command  of  Colonel  Royall,  5th  Cavalry,  to  hunt  for  the  Indians  who 
had  escaped  from  that  fight.  Just  as  the  column  was  about  camping, 
after  its  first  day's  march  south  of  Fort  Sedgwick,  the  Indians  were 
struck,  but  escaped  as  night  fell.  The  pursuit  was  taken  up,  next  morn 
ing,  and  the  trail  hotly  followed  for  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles, 
to  north  of  the  Niobrara  River,  Dakota,  where  the  chase  had  to  be 
abandoned,  the  country  being  almost  impassable,  even  without  the  train, 
and  the  horses  of  the  cavalry  being  completely  worn  out.  The  Indians 
abandoned  large  quantities  of  camp  equipage,  which  were  destroyed,  two 
mules  and  forty  horses  and  ponies  being  captured  by  the  command. 

August  3d,  at  Fort  Stevenson,  Dakota,  Indians  attempted  to  stampede 
the  herd,  but  were  defeated  and  pursued  by  the  garrison,  the  Indians 
losing  one  horse;  no  casualties  to  the  troops. 

August  9th,  Indians  destroyed  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  tel 
egraph  line  at  Grinnell  Station,  Kansas,  but  were  frightened  off  by  the 
military  guard  at  the  station. 

August  15th,  near  San  Augustine  Pass,  New  Mexico,  Troops  "  F,"  and 
"  H,"  3d  Cavalry,  under  Captain  F.  Stanwood,  3d  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  of 
which  no  details  are  given. 

August  19th,  Colonel  De  Trobriand,  13th  Infantry,  commanding  Fort 
Shaw,  Montana,  reported  an  attack  by  Piegan  Indians  upon  a  govern- 


26 

ment  train  from  Camp  Cooke;  also  the  murder  of  a  citizen  named  Clarke 
and  the  wounding  of  his  son,  near  Helena,  Montana.  The  teamsters  with 
the  train  in  the  fight  which  took  place  on  Eagle  Creek,  killed  four  and 
wounded  two  Indians,  losing  one  man  killed  and  twenty  oxen.  Subse 
quently  hostilities  were  carried  on  at  different  points  in  the  vicinity,  cat 
tle  carried  off  and  white  men  murdered,  the  hostiles  appearing  to  be 
Bloods,  Blackfeet  and  Piegans. 

August  21st,  Indians  attacked  Coyote'  Station,  Kansas,  but  were 
repulsed  by  the  military  guard  there;  no  casualties. 

September  5th,  troops  from  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  pursued  and 
routed  a  band  of  hostile  Indians  of  whom  it  was  estimated  three  were 
killed  and  seven  wounded.  The  troops  had  two  men  wounded. 

September  12th,  near  Laramie  Peak,  Wyoming,  an  escort  to  a  train 
had  a  fight  in  which  one  soldier  was  killed  and  one  wounded. 

September  14th,  near  Little  Wind  River,  Wyoming,  Mr.  James  Camp 
and  Private  John  Holt,  Company  "  K,"  7th  Infantry,  were  killed  near  the 
Snake  Reservation.  On  Popoagie  River,  Wyoming,  a  detachment  of 
Troop  "  D,"  2d  Cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  Stambaugh,  had  a  fight  in 
which  two  soldiers  were  killed.  Two  Indians  were  killed,  ten  wounded 
and  one  Indian  pony  captured. 

September  15th,  near  Whiskey  Gap,  Wyoming,  a  detachment  of 
Company  "  B,"  4th  Infantry,  under  Lieutenant  J.  H.  Spencer,  had  a  fight 
with  about  three  hundred  Indians, -one  soldier  being  captured  and  doubt 
less  killed. 

September  17th,  on  Twin  Creek,  Wyoming,  the  United  States  mail 
escort  had  a  fight  with  Indians.  Near  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  Indians 
ran  off  stock,  were  pursued,  their  village  destroyed  and  three  Indians 
wounded;  no  casualties  to  troops. 

At  Point  of  Rocks,  Wyoming,  a  stage  was  attacked  and  the  driver 
killed.  On  Twin  Creek,  another  escort  party  to  the  United  States  mail 
were  attacked  and  driven  into  the  mountains. 

September  20th,  troops  from  Fort  Bascorn,  New  Mexico,  pursued  a 
band  of  Indians  to  the  mountains,  where  they  escaped  with  loss  of  much 
of  their  plunder. 

September  23d,  troops  from  Fort  Cummings,  New  Mexico,  pursued 
marauding  Indians,  and  after  a  long  chase,  recaptured  thirty  stolen 
horses. 

September  24th,  Indians  raided  Mexican  ranches  near  Fort  Bayard, 
New  Mexico.  Troops  followed  the  Indians  to  their  village  in  the  moun 
tains,  destroyed  it  with  its  contents  and  wounded  three  Indians;  no  casu 
alties  to  the  troops. 

September  26th,  troops  pursued  a  band  of  marauding  Indians  to  their 
village  in  the  San  Francisco  mountains,  New  Mexico,  burned  it,  wounded 
two  Indians  and  recovered  some  stolen  sheep;  no  casualties  to  troops.  The 


27 

same  day,  on  Prairie  Dog  Creek,  Kansas,  a  column  consisting  of  Troops 
"  B,"  "  C,"  "  F,"  "  L,"  and  "  M,"  5th  Cavalry,  Troops  "  B,"  "  0,"  and 
"  M,"  2d  Cavalry  and  two  companies  of  Pawnee  scouts,  all  under  com 
mand  of  General  Duncan,  was  about  encamping  after  a  long  day's  march, 
when  the  advance  guard  of  twenty  cavalrymen,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Volkmar,  5th  Cavalry,  struck  a  band  of  Indians  which  attempted  to  cut 
off  Major  North  and  the  chief  scout  and  guide,  William  Cody.  The 
detachment  charged  the  Indians  and  pursued  them  to  their  village  which 
was  hastily  abandoned.  Some  of  the  Pawnee  "scouts  joined  in  the 
chase,  but  night  came  on  and  the  Indians  escaped.  One  Indian  was 
killed,  one  captured,  and  seven  animals  killed  and  captured,  together 
with  the  entire  village,  consisting  of  fifty-six  lodges  which,  with  their 
contents,  were  destroyed  on  the  following  day.  A  portion  of  the  column 
pursued  for  several  days,  but  the  Indians  made  no  camp  for  ninety  miles 
and  the  chase  was  abandoned.  From  an  Indian  prisoner  it  was  ascer 
tained  that  the  band  were  all  Sioux,  under  "  Pawnee  Killer"  and  "  Whist 
ler,"  both  of  whom  had  escaped  from  the  Summit  Springs  fight  on  July 
llth.  Some  surveyor's  instruments  were  also  found  in  the  Indian  camp 
and  identified  as  belonging  to  Mr.  Nelson^  Buck's  surveying  party, 
consisting  of  about  twelve  persons,  all  of  whom  had  been  recently  mur 
dered  and  their  camp  destroyed,  not  far  from  the  scene  of  the  fight  of 
September  26th.  The  band  had  come  from  the  north  about  three  months 
before  and  had  attacked  another  surveying  party  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  the  Platte,  on  August  27th.  In  their  flight  from  the  village,  the 
prisoner  stated  that  the  band,  numbering  a  hundred  warriors,  besides 
women  and  children,  had  abandoned  everything  but  their  arms  and  ani 
mals,  and  had  agreed  not  to  stop  until  they  reached  the  Sioux  reserva 
tion  north  of  the  Platte. 

September  29th,  Indians  committed  murders  and  depredations  near 
Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico.  Troops  from  the  post  pursued  the  Indians  for 
a  week,  destroyed  their  village  and  contents,  killed  three  and  wounded 
three  Indians  and  captured  three  horses.  One  soldier  was  wounded  in 
the  fight. 

October  loth,  troops  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  to  the  Mogollon 
Mountains,  New  Mexico,  and  recaptured  thirty  stolen  horses. 

October  23d,  troops  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  to  the  Miembres 
Mountains,  New  Mexico,  where  they  overtook  and  defeated  them,  killing 
three,  wounding  three,  and  capturing  three  ponies  and  some  supplies; 
one  soldier  was  wounded. 

November  2d,  near  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory,  troops  recovered  a 
white  captive  from  a  band  of  Indians. 

November  18th,  Lieutenant  H.  B.  Gushing,  3d  Cavalry,  with  a  detach 
ment  of  Troop  "  F,"  after  a  pursuit  of  two  hundred  miles,  had  a  fight  with 
Indians  in  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  in  which  two  soldiers 


28 

were  wounded,  the  troops  killing  and  wounding  a  number  of  Indians  and 
recovering  most  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  stolen  stock. 

December  2d,  near  Horse-Shoe  Creek,  Wyoming,  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Indians  attacked  the  mail  escort  of  ten  men,  under  Sergeant 
Bahr,  Company  "  E,"  4th  Infantry,  proceeding  from  Fort  Fetterman  to 
Fort  Laramie.  One  soldier  was  killed  and  several  Indians  reported 
killed  and  wounded.  The  same  day  and  vicinity,  the  mail  escort  of 
ten  men,  en  route  from  Fort  Laramie  to  Fort  Fetterman,  was  attacked 
and  two  men  wounded. 

December  15th,  Indians  attacked  Bunker  Hill  Station,  Kansas,  but 
were  repulsed  by  the  military  guard. 

December  26th,  in  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  a  detach 
ment  of  Troop  "F,"  3d  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Gushing, 
had  a  fight  in  which  Lieutenant  Franklin  Yeaton,  3d  Cavalry,  received 
severe  wounds  from  the  effects  of  which  he  afterwards  died.  The  same 
detachment  had  another  fight, 

December  30th,  on  Delaware  Creek,  New  Mexico,  no  details  of  which 
are  given. 


±  S  70. 


On  the  27th  of  September,  1869,  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs 
for  Montana,  officially  reported  to  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs 
renewed  depredations  by  Indians,  supposed  to  be  Blackfeet,  near  Helena, 
Montana.  A  citizen  name'd  James  Quail,  having  lost  a  quantity  of  horses 
and  mules,  went  to  hunt  for  them.  His  body  was  found  pierced  with 
arrows  and  horribly  mutilated.  Nine  Indians  were  seen,  a  few  days 
before,  driving  off  stock  from  that  direction,  and  within  the  preceding 
two  months  over  four  hundred  horses  and  mules  had  been  stolen.  These 
papers  were  all  referred  by  the  War  Department  to  the  Division  Com 
mander  for  action,  and  it  was  resolved,  as  soon  as  winter  should  set  in 
and  the  Indians  be  unable  to  move,  to  send  a  force  from  Fort  Ellis  or 
Fort  Shaw  and  strike  them  a  hard  blow.  The  project  for  punishing  this 
band,  numbering  about  fifteen  hundred,  (men,  women  and  children,)  hav 
ing  been  approved  by  the  War  Department,  on  January  19th  a  column, 
consisting  of  Troops  "  F,"  "  G,"  "  H,"  and  "  L,"  2d  Cavalry  and  a 
detachment  of  about  fifty-five  mounted  infantry,  under  Brevet  Colonel 
E.  M.  Baker,  2d  Cavalry,  left  Fort  Shaw,  Montana,  to  strike  the  Piegan 
camp  of  "  Mountain  Chief,"  on  the  Marias  River,  Montana. 

January  23d,  after  a  secret  night  march,  the  column  completely  sur 
prised  the  camps  of  "Bear  Chief"  and  "Big  Horn,"  killing  one  hundred 
and  seventy-three  Indians,  wounding  twenty,  capturing  one  hundred  and 
forty  women  and  children  and  over  three  hundred  horses.  Leaving  a 
detachment  in  the  camp  to  destroy  the  property,  the  column  pushed  down 
the  river  after  the  camp  of  "  Mountain  Chief,"  but  his  lodges  were  found 
deserted  and  were  burned  by  the  troops.  The  Indians  scattered  in  every 
direction,  but  the  weather  was  too  severe  to  pursue  them,  so  the  column 
marched  for  the  North  West  Fur  Company's  Station,  arriving  there  on 
January  25th.  Colonel  Baker  sent  for  the  chiefs  of  the  Bloods,  had  a 
consultation  with  them  and  obliged  them  to  give  up  all  the  stolen  stock 
in  their  possession.  The  column  reached  Fort  Ellis  again,  February  6th, 
having  made  a  march  of  about  six  hundred  miles,  in  the  coldest  weather 
known  for  years,  in  the  always  severe  climate  of  that  region.  In  the 
attack  on  the  Indian  villages,  the  only  loss  to  the  troops  was  one  man 
killed. 

March  21st,  at  Eagle  Tail  Station,  Kansas,  Indians  attacked  a  railroad- 
working  party  but  were  driven  off  by  the  military  guards;  no  casualties. 


30 

April  6th,  on  Bluff  Creek,  Kansas,  a  government  train  and  escort  were 
attacked  by  Indians  who  were  driven  off  with  a  loss  of  three  wounded, 
but  one  hundred  and  thirty  mules  were  stampeded. 

April  23d,  a  railroad-working  party  in  Kansas  were  attacked  by 
Indians  who  were  repulsed  by  the  military  guards;  no  casualties. 

May  4th,  near  Miner's  Delight,  Wyoming,  Troop  "  D,"  2d  Cavalry, 
Captain  D.  S.  Gordon  commanding,  had  a  severe  fight  with  a  band  of 
Indians,  in  which  seven  Indians  were  killed  and  one  wounded.  First 
Lieutenant  Charles  B.  Stambaugh,  2d  Cavalry,  and  one  enlisted  man 
were  killed.  . 

May  16th,  Indians  made  a  concerted  attack  along  the  Kansas  Pacific 
Railroad  for  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  .killing  ten  persons  and  running 
off  about  three  hundred  animals.  A  troop  of  cavalry  pursued  the  Indians 
to  the  Republican  River,  Nebraska,  but  without  success. 

May  17th,  Sergeant  Leonard  and  four  men  of  Troop  "  C,"  2d  Cavalry, 
were  attacked  by  about  fifty  Indians,  on  Spring  Creek,-  Nebraska.  The 
party  succeeded  in  driving  off  the  Indians  who  lost  one  killed  and  seven 
wounded. 

May  18th,  Indians  attacked  Lake  Station,  Colorado,  and  were  pursued 
by  a  party  of  cavalry,  but  without  success. 

May  21st,  Hugo  Station,  Colorado,  was  attacked  by  Indians  who 
were,  however,  repulsed. 

May  28th,  near  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory,  Indians  attacked  a 
train,  stampeded  all  the  mules,  and  killed  one  man.  The  same  day  they 
ran  off  a  quantity  of  stock  near  that  post  and  killed  another  man. 

May  31st,  Carlysle  Station,  Kansas,  was  attacked  by  Indians;  they 
were  repulsed  by  the  military  guard  who  had  two  men  wounded.  The 
Indian  loss,  estimated,  was  three  wounded.  The  same  day,  on  Beaver 
Creek,  Kansas,  a  detachment  of  Company  "  B,"  3d  Infantry,  under  Ser 
geant  Murray,  had  a  fight  in  which  one  man  was  killed  and  one  wounded. 

June  1st,  Indians  raided  the  settlements  on  Solomon  River,  Kansas. 
They  were  pursued  by  a  troop  of  the  7th  Cavalry  and  four  Indians 
wounded. 

June  3d,  the  mail  station  at  Bear  Creek,  Kansas,  was  attacked  by 
Indians  who  were  repulsed  by  the  military  guard,  after  a  severe  fight  in 
which  two  soldiers  were  killed  and  one  wounded.  Five  Indians  were 
killed  and  ten  wounded.  At  other  places  in  the  Department  of  the  Mis 
souri,  the  same  day,  a  Mexican  was  killed  and  scalped,  a  train  was 
attacked,  a  teamster  killed  and  forty  mules  stampeded,  and  Captain 
Armes,  10th  Cavalry,  being  separated  from  his  escort,  was  attacked  and 
chased,  but  escaped. 

June  6th,  near  Fort  Selden,  New  Mexico,  the  Chief  Engineer  Officer, 
District  of  New  Mexico,  whilst  surveying  near  that  post,  was  attacked 
and  two  mules  captured.  Troops  from  the  post  pursued  the  Indians 


31 

who,  however,  escaped.  The  same  day,  near  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Ter 
ritory,  an  attack  on  a  train  was  repulsed.  The  same  night  Indians  again 
attacked  this  train  and  were  driven  off.  They  also  captured  thirteen 
mules  from  a  citizen  train,  near  the  post.  Two  Indians  were  wounded. 

June  8th,  near  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory,  the  United  States  mail 
escort  was  attacked  by  Indians  who  were  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  three 
killed  and  five  wounded;  one  soldier  was  wounded.  On  the  same  road,  a 
government  train  guarded  by  a  troop  of  cavalry,  was  attacked  by 
Indians  who  were  repulsed  after  a  severe  fight,  in  which  three  soldiers 
were  wounded.  Three  Indians  were  killed  and  their  wounded  were  esti 
mated  at  ten.  Between  Fort  Dodge  and  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory, 
Troops  "F,"  and  "  H,"  10th  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Boda- 
mer,  10th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  in  which  two  soldiers  and  three  Indians 
were  wounded.  The  same  day  Indians  made  an  attack  near  Fort 
McPherson,  Nebraska,  were  pursued  by  Troop  "  I,"  5th  Cavalry,  under 
Lieutenant  Thomas  and  their  camp  attacked  arid  destroyed,  the  Indians 
escaping. 

June  llth,  near  Bunker  Hill  Station,  Kansas,  cavalry  couriers  carry 
ing  dispatches  were  attacked  arid  chased  into  the  station.  Near  Camp 
Supply,  Indian  Territory,  Indians  attempted  to  stampede  the  horses  at 
the  cavalry  camp.  They  were  pursued  by  Troops  "A,"  "  F,"  "  H,"  "  I," 
and  "  K,"  10th  Cavalry,  and  Companies  "  B,"  "  E,"  and  "  F,"  3d  Infantry, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  A.  D.  Nelson,  3d  Infantry,  were 
attacked,  six  Indians  killed  and  ten  wounded.  Three  soldiers  were 
wounded  and  two  cavalry  horses  killed.  Near  Grinnell  Station,  Kansas, 
a  train  escorted  by  cavalry  was  attacked  by  Indians  who  were  repulsed 
after  a  fight  of  three  hours;  no  casualties. 

June  13th,  near  Grinnell,  Kansas,  Indians  attacked  a  railroad-working 
party  but  were  repulsed  by  a  detachment  of  cavalry;  three  Indians  were 
killed  and  ten  wounded. 

June  14th,  a  battalion  of  7th  Cavalry  encountered  a  band  of  Indians 
on  the  Republican  River,  Kansas.  The  advance  troop  attacked  the 
Indians  who,  however,  escaped  with  a  loss  of  one  pony  killed. 

June  15th,  near  Fort  Bascom,  New  Mexico,  Indians  plundered  a 
ranch,  outraging,  killing  and  scalping  a  woman,  and  stealing  five  horses 
belonging  to  the  post  trader.  The  Indians  were  fired  upon  by  the  guard, 
but  escaped. 

June  16th,  on  Mulberry  Creek,  Kansas,  Indians  killed  three  wood 
choppers,  horribly  mutilating  their  bodies. 

June  21st,  near  Carson,  Colorado,  Indians  attacked  a  Mexican  train 
and  killed  five  teamsters.  Cavalry  pursued  the  next  day,  but  without 
success. 

June  25th,  near   Medicine   Bow,  Wyoming,  a  detachment  of  Troop 


32 

"I,"  2d  Cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  C.  T.  Hall,  had  a  fight  with  Indians; 
no  details  given. 

June  27th,  at  Pine  Grove  Meadow,  Wyoming,  a  detachment  of  Troop 
"A,"  2d  Cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  R.  H.  Young,  4th  Infantry,  attacked 
a  band  of  about  two  hundred  Indians  in  the  mountains.  One  soldier  was 
wounded  and  fifteen  Indians  reported  killed.  The  detachment  not  being 
strong  enough  to  dislodge  the  Indians,  the  latter  escaped. 

In  August,  a  detachment  of  cavalry  struck  a  band  of  Indians  on  the 
Washita  River,  Indian  Territory,  killing  three  and  wounding  ten  Indians. 
Two  soldiers  were  killed  and  five  wounded. 

October  6th,  near  Looking  Glass  Creek,  Nebraska,  Troop  "  K,"  2d 
Cavalry,  Captain  J.  Egan,  had  a  fight  in  which  one  Indian  was  killed. 

October  16th,  in  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  Troop  "  B," 
8th  Cavalry,  Captain  W.  M.  McCleave,  had  a  fight  in  which  one  Indian 
was  killed  and  eight  captured. 

October  30th,  eighteen  miles  from  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  Indians 
stampeded  fifty-nine  mules  from  a  train.  Cavalry  pursued  for  two  hun 
dred  and  fifty-five  miles,  destroyed  the  Indian  village,  recovered  the 
mules  and  captured  three  squaws. 

November  10th,  near  Carson,  Colorado,  Indians  stampeded  sixty-eight 
mules  from  a  Mexican  train. 

November  18th,  Indians  attacked  Lowell  Station,  Kansas,  and  killed 
one  man. 

November ,  in  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  a  detach 
ment  of  Troop  "A,"  8th  Cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  Pendleton  Hunter, 
captured  nine  Indians. 


1871. 


February  17th,  near  Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico,  Indians  raided  the 
ranches,  murdered  the  settlers  and  ran  off  stock.  Troops  pursued  the 
Indians  to  the  mountains,  burned  their  village,  destroyed  its  contents  and 
recovered  many  of  the  stolen  animals.  One  soldier  was  killed  and  two 
wounded;  of  the  Indians  fourteen  were  reported  killed  arid  twenty 
wounded. 

February  26th,  near  Grinnell,  Kansas,  Indians  attacked  a  hunter's 
camp,  burned  it  and  ran  off  the  stock. 

March  18th,  near  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  Indians  made  repeated  attacks 
upon  a  government  train,  three  men  being  killed  and  five  Indians 
wounded  in  the  various  attacks. 

April  30th,  Apache  Indians  from  Arizona  depredated  in  Colorado  and 
killed,  altogether,  twenty  persons. 

May  2d,  Apaches  committed  depredations  near  Fort  Selden,  New 
Mexico.  A  troop  of  cavalry  pursu.ed  them  for  two  hundred  and  eighty 
miles  but  without  success. 

May  3d,  near  Gimmaron,  New  Mexico,  Indians  raided  the  settlements, 
killed  three  persons  and  ran  off  about  nine  hundred  and  fifty  head  of 
stock.  Troops  pursued,  captured  twenty-two  Indians  and  recovered 
seven  hundred  and  fifty-seven  head  of  the  stolen  animals. 

May  llth,  Major  Price,  with  a  squadron  of  the  8th  Cavalry,  pursued  a 
band  of  marauding  Navajoes,  in  New  Mexico,  captured  two  prominent 
chiefs  and  recovered  a  large  number  of  stolen  animals. 

May  12th,  Indians  ran  off  stock  near  Red  River,  Texas.  Troops  from 
Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory,  pursued  and  defeated  the  Indians  who  lost 
three  killed  and  four  wounded;  no  casualties  to  the  troops. 

May  15th,  Indians  stampeded  twenty-two  mules  from  a  government 
train  in  New  Mexico. 

May  17th,  Indians  attacked  a  train  on  Red  River,  killing  seven  per 
sons,  wounding  one  and  running  qff  forty-one  mules.  Going  to  Fort  Sill, 
Indian  Territory,  they  publicly  avowed  the  deed  in  the  presence  of 
General  Sherman  and  the  post  commander,  whereupon  the  leaders, 
"  Satan  ta"  and  "  Satank,"  were  arrested  and  placed  in  irons.  Their  fol 
lowers  resisted,  when  one  Indian  was  killed  and  one  soldier  wounded. 

May  24th,  on  Birdwood  Creek,  Nebraska,  a  detachment  of  5th  Cav 
alry,  under  Lieutenant  E.  M.  Hayes,  captured  six.  Indians. 


34 

May  29th,  in  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  cavalry  pursued  a  band 
of  Indians  and  recaptured  five  hundred  stolen  animals. 

June  28th,  near  Larned,  Kansas,  Indians  ran  off  fourteen  horses;  near 
Pawnee  Fork,  Kansas,  they  also  stole  seventy  mules. 

July  2d,  Fort  Larned,  Kansas,  was  attacked  by  Indians  who  were 
repulsed  by  the  garrison;  no  casualties. 

August  18th,  Indians  killed  a  settler  and  ran  off  his  stock,  twelve 
miles  from  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico.  Troops  pursued,  but  without 
success. 

September  19th,  a  small  detachment  of  troops  was  attacked  by  Indians 
near  Red  River,  Indian  Territory.  One  soldier  was  wounded,  two 
Indians  killed  and  three  wounded. 

September  22d,  near  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory,  Indians  killed  two 
citizen  herders  and  ran  off  about  fifteen  head  of  stock. 


±  8  7  2. 


February  9th,  on  the  North  Concho  River,  Texas,  Indians  attacked  a 
detachment  of  three  men  belonging  to  Troop  "B,"  4th  Cavalry,  com 
manded  by  Captain  Rendlebrock,  but  no  casualties  were  reported. 

March  27th,  near  Fort  Concho,  Texas,  a  detachment  of  Troop  "  I," 
4th  Cavalry,  under  Sergeant  Wilson,  were  attacked  by  Indians  of  whom 
two  were  killed,  three  wounded  and  one  captured,  together  with  nineteen 
horses. 

March  28th,  a  band  of  Indian  and  Mexican  thieves  were  attacked  by 
a  detachment  of  cavalry  near  Fort  Conoho,  Texas;  two  Indians  were 
killed,  three  wounded  and  one  captured. 

April  20th,  Troops  "  A,"  and  «  H,"  9th  Cavalry,  under  Captain  M. 
Cooney,  9th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  band  of  hostile  Indians  near  Howard's 
Wells,  Texas,  killing  six  Indians.  Lieutenant  F.  R.  Vincent,  9th  Cavalry, 
was  mortally  wounded. 

April  21st,  Troop  "  C,"  4th  Cavalry,  Captain  J.  A.  Wilcox,  were 
attacked  by  Indians  in  Texas  and  lost  fourteen  horses  and  two  mules. 

April  26th,  Troop  "  B,"  3d  Cavalry,  Captain  C.  Meinhold,  attacked  a 
war  party  of  Indians  on  South  Fork  of  Loup  River,  Nebraska,  killing 
three  Indians. 

May  6th,  at  Tierra  Amarilla,  New  Mexico,  a  small  detachment  of 
Troops  "  E,"  and  "  K,"  8th  Cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  J.  D.  Stevenson, 
were  attacked  by  a  band  of  Ute  Indians,  one  soldier  being  killed  and  one 
wounded,  the  Indians  losing  one  killed  and  one  wounded. 

May  12th,  between  Big  and  Little  Wichita  Rivers,  Texas,  a  detach 
ment  of  the  4th  Cavalry,  under  Captain  J.  A.  Wilcox  attacked  a  band  of 
Kiowas,  killing  two  Indians;  one  soldier  was  wounded. 

May  19th,  twenty-five  miles  from  Fort  Belknap,  Texas,  Kiowas 
attacked  a  party  of  citizens,  killing  one  of  them;  two  Indians  were  killed 
and  two  wounded. 

May  20th,  a  detachment  of  the  9th  Cavalry  and  eight  Indian  scouts, 
under  Lieutenant  G.  Valois,  9th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  small  band  of  Kick- 
apoos  on  La  Pendencia,  Texas. 

May  22d,  between  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  and  Fort  Supply,  Indian  Ter 
ritory,  a  detachment  of  Troop  "  E,"  6th  Cavalry,  acting  as  couriers,  had 
one  man  killed  and  one  wounded  by  Indians. 

May   23d,  on   Lost  Creek,   Texas,  a  detachment  of  the  4th  Cavalry 


36 

under  Captain  E.  M.  Heyl,  were  attacked  by  Comanches   ;md    had  one 
man  and  one  horse  killed. 

June  15th,  a  detachment  of  Company  "  H,"  llth  Infantry,  under  Cor 
poral  Rickey,  killed  two  Indians  in  a  fight  which  occurred  at  Johnson's 
Station,  Texas. 

August  14th,  near  Pryor's  Fork,  Montana,  a  column  consisting  of 
Troops  «  F,"  "  G,"  "  H,"  and  "  L,"  2d  Cavalry  and  Companies  "  C,"  "  E," 
"  G,"  and  "  I,"  7th  Infantry,  commanded  by  Major  E.  M.  Baker,  2d  Caval 
ry,  were  attacked  by  several  hundred  Sioux  and  Cheyennes.  One  soldier 
was  killed  and  one  citizen  and  three  soldiers  were  wounded;  two  Indians 
were  killed  and  ten  wounded,  most  of  them  mortally. 

August  15th,  on  Palo  Duro  Creek,  New  Mexico,  Troop  "  B,"  8th  Cav 
alry,  Captain  W.  M.  McCleave,  was  attacked  by  a  war  party  of  Indians; 
one  soldier  was  wounded  and  four  Indians  killed  and  eight  wounded. 

August  16th,  near  Yellowstone  River,  Montana,  an  expedition  com 
manded  by  Colonel  D.  S.  Stanley,  22d  Infantry,  was  attacked  by  a  large 
body  of  Indians. 

August  17th,  on  the  Yellowstone  River,  Montana,  one  man  of  Troop 
"L,"  2d  Cavalry,  Captain  L.  Thompson  commanding,  was  reported 
wounded  by  Indians. 

August  18th,  at  mouth  of  Powder  River,  Montana,  Companies  "  D," 
"F,"  and  "  G,"  22d- Infantry,  Colonel  D.  S.  Stanley  commanding,  had  a 
fight  with  Indians  and  again  on  August  21st  and  22d,  on  O'Fallon's 
Creek,  Montana. 

August  26th,  a  war  party  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  Sioux 
attacked  a  detachment  of  one  Sergeant  and  six  privates  of  the  6th  Infan 
try  and  two  Ree  scouts,  twelve  miles  from  Fort  McKeen,  (afterwards 
known  as  Fort  A.  Lincoln,)  Dakota;  the  two  Ree  scouts  were  killed. 

September  — ,  Troop  "B,"  2d  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  Randolph  Nor 
wood,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Indians  between  Beaver  Creek  and  Sweet- 
water,  Wyoming,  killing  one  Indian. 

September  19th,  a  detachment  of  one  Sergeant  and  seven  men,  4th 
Cavalry  and  two  Tonkawa  scouts  attacked  about  fifty  Comanche  Indians 
in  Jones  County,  Texas,  killing  one  Mexican  thief  and  recapturing  eleven 
stolen  horses. 

September  29th,  Colonel  R.  S,  Mackenzie,  with  Troops  "A,"  "  D," 
ic  jy»  "  i?"  and  "L,"  4th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  village  of  about  two  hundred 
lodges  of  Comanches  near  north  Fork  of  Red  River,  Texas,  destroyed  the 
same  with  its  contents,  killed  twenty-three  warriors  and  captured  between 
one  hundred  and  twenty  and  one  hundred  and  thirty  prisoners.  One 
enlisted  man  was  killed  and  three  wounded,  together  with  a  number  of 
cavalry  horses  killed  and  wounded.  A  large  number  of  horses  and  mules 
were  captured  from  the  Indians. 


37 

October  2d,  about  three  hundred  Sioux  attacked  Fort  McKeen,  (Fort 
A.  Lincoln,)  Dakota,  wounding  one  and  killing  three  Ree  scouts. 

October  3d,  in  Jones  County,  Texas,  a  detachment  of  Tonkawa 
scouts  made  an  attack  upon  a  camp  of  Comanches;  no  details  given. 

October  3d  and  4th,  near  Heart  River,  Dakota,  Lieutenant  E.  Crosby, 
17th  Infantry,  Lieutenant  L.  D.  Adair,  22d  Infantry  and  one  civilian 
whilst  hunting  were  attacked  and  killed  by  Sioux  Indians. 

October  14th,  Fort  McKeen,  (Fort  A.  Lincoln,)  Dakota,  was  again 
attacked  by  a  large  body  of  Sioux.  Troops  from  the  garrison,  consisting 
of  one  company  6th  Infantry  and  eight  Ree  scouts  attacked  the  Indians, 
killing  three  of  them  and  losing  two  enlisted  men  killed. 

December  6th,  near  the  Rio  Grande,  Texas,  Sergeant  Bruce  and  six 
men,  9th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  band  of  Mexican  cattle  thieves  and  recap 
tured  fifty-nine  head  of  stolen  cattle. 

During  the  year  1872,  no  general  Indian  war  took  place  in  the  Divi 
sion,  but  the  number  of  murders  and.  depredations  committed  by  small 
war  parties  in  various  places  was  greater  than  during  the  preceding  year. 
The  line  of  frontier  settlements  had  steadily  advanced  during  the  year, 
especially  in  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Minnesota  and  Dakota,  gradually  absorb 
ing  the  country  which  only  a  year  or  two  before  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  Indians,  and  the  trans-continental  railway  lines  were  progressing 
rapidly  westward  through  the  Division.  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad 
had  reached  the  Missouri  River  about  the  close  of  the  year,  the  actual 
surveys  and  locations  for  the  roadway  being  made  as  far  west  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Powder  River,  two  hundred  miles  beyond  the  Missouri. 
The  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Railway  was  extended  as  far  west 
as  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  in  its  progress  up  the  valley  of  the  Arkansas, 
while  surveying  parties  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway  were  engaged 
in  locating  the  line  of  that  road  in  both  directions  from  the  vicinity  of 
El  Paso.  For  the  protection  of  the  surveyors  and  the  construction  par 
ties  upon  all  these  lines,  a  considerable  force  of  troops  was  necessary  as 
escorts,  and  minor  engagements  between  Indians  and  these  small  detach 
ments  were  of  repeated  occurrence.  The  guarding  of  the  Rio  Grande 
frontier  against  the  incursions  of  border  thieves  consisting  of  Mexicans, 
half-breeds  and  Indians,  also  furnished  occasion  for  considerable  activity 
on  the  part  of  the  troops  in  that  portion  of  the  Division,  involving  con 
stant  watchfulness  and  much  patient  endurance. 


±873. 


During  the  year  1873,  the  depredations  of  raiding  parties  of  Mexican 
thieves,  Indians  and  half-breeds  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Rio  Grande  con 
tinued,  as  did  also  the  attacks  by  Indians  upon  the  military  posts  and 
field  escort  detachments  guarding  the  surveying  and  construction  parties 
engaged  upon  the  lines  of  railway. 

April  30th,  Lieutenant  Harmon,  with  eleven  men  of  the  10th  Cavalry, 
attacked  a  band  of  Mexican  thieves  about  seven  miles  south  east  of  Fort 
Sill,  Indian  Territory,  and  recaptured  thirty-six  horses. 

May  7th,  about  one  hundred  Sioux  attacked  the  post  of  Fort  A.  Lin 
coln,  Dakota,  (previously  known  as  Fort  McKeen,)  garrisoned  by  Com 
panies  "  B,"  and  u  C,"  6th  Infantry  and  Company  "  H,"  17th  Infantry, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin,  17th  Infantry.  The 
Indians  were  driven  off  with  a  loss  of  one  killed  and  three  wounded. 

May  18th,  Colonel  R.  S.  MacKenzie,  4th  Cavalry,  with  Troops  "A," 
"  B,"  "  C,"  "  E,"  "  I,"  and  "  M,"  of  -his  regiment  and  a  detachment  of 
Seminole  scouts  under  Lieutenant  Bullis,  24th  Infantry,  attacked  and 
destroyed  a  village  of  fifty  or  sixty  lodges  of  Kickapoos  and  Lipan 
Indians  near  Remolina,  Mexico,  killing  nineteen  Indians,  taking  forty 
prisoners  and  capturing  fifty-six  horses.  The  column  marched  at  a  trot 
or  a  gallop  a  distance  of  seventy -five  miles,  between  one  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  previous  day  and  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  day 
of  the  attack,  in  order  to  reach  and  surprise  this  village  whose  location 
had  been  reported.  The  pack  train  of  supplies  was  dropped  during  this 
rapid  march  and  for  two  days  the  troops  were  without  other  rations  than 
a  few  crackers  carried  in  their  pockets.  Amonqr  the  prisoners  taken  was 
Costilietos,  the  principal  chief  of  the  Lipans. 

June  15th  and  17th,  Sioux  Indians  again  made  two  separate  attacks 
upon  the  post  of  Fort  A.  Lincoln,  Dakota.  The  garrison,  constituted  as 
before  described  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Carlin,  17th  Infantry,  repulsed 
the  attack,  one  Ree  scout  being  wounded,  three  Sioux  killed  and  eight 
wounded. 

July  12th,  on  Live  Oak  Creek,  Indian  Territory,  Troop  "  L,"  4th  Cav 
alry,  Captain  T.  J.  Wint  commanding,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Indians. 

July  13th,  near  Canada  Alamosa,  New  Mexico,  a  detachment  of  Troop 
"  C,"  8th  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Captain  C.  W.  Chilson,  from  Fort 
McRae,  New  Mexico,  had  a  fight  with  a  band  of  Indians,  one  soldier 


40 

being  wounded  and  three  Indians  killed;  twelve  horses  and  one  mule 
stolen  by  the  Indians  were  recaptured. 

So  bold  and  frequent  had  been  the  Indian  attacks  upon  the  military 
posts  and  the  escorts  to  working  parties  on  the  railroads,  in  the  Depart 
ment  of  Dakota,  that  an  additional  regiment  of  cavalry,  the  7th,  was 
transferred  to  that  Department  from  the  Military  Division  of  the  South, 
for  the  purpose  of  following  and  punishing  these  Indians  if  they  con 
tinued  their  attacks.  An  expedition  was  organized  under  Colonel  D.  S. 
Stanley,  22d  Infantry,  and  a  supply  depot  established  near  Glendive 
Creek  where  it  empties  into  the  Yellowstone,  the  point  at  which  it  was 
expected  the  surveying  parties  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  would 
run  their  line  across  the  river.  The  troops  comprising  the  "  Yellowstone 
Expedition"  left  Forts  Rice  and  A.  Lincoln,  about  the  middle  of  June, 
returning  to  their  stations  in  September  after  accomplishing  the  purposes 
intended,  having  had  several  engagements  with  the  hostiles  during  this 
period. 

August  4th,  Troops  "A,"  and  "  B,"  7th  Cavalry,  in  advance,  com 
manded  by  Captain  M.  Moylan,  had  a  fight  with  Indians  near  Tongue 
River,  Dakota,  one  soldier  being  reported  missing  in  action  and  doubtless 
killed.  Later  in  the  same  day  the  main  column  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  com 
manded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  A.  Custer,  were  attacked  by  several 
hundred  Sioux  on  the  Yellowstone  River,  Montana;  four  enlisted  men 
were  reported  killed  and  Lieutenant  C.  Braden,  7th  Cavalry,  and  three 
enlisted  men  wounded. 

August  llth,  the  column  of  ten  troops,  7th  Cavalry,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  A.  Custer,  were  again  attacked  by  a  large  body  of 
Sioux,  on  the  Yellowstone  River,  Montana;  four  Indians  were  reported 
killed  and  twelve  wounded. 

August  31st,  near  Pease  River,  Texas,  Troops  "  E,"  and  "  I,"  10th 
Cavalry,  Captain  T.  A.  Baldwin,  were  attacked  by  a  war  party  of  Indians; 
one  Indian  was  wounded. 

September  30th,  the  same  troops  under  Captain  Baldwin  attacked  a 
band  of  hostiles  at  Mesquit  Flats,  Texas,  recapturing  nine  stolen  horses. 

September  18th,  Troops  "  K,"  and  "  E,"  3d  Cavalry,  Captain  J.  Egan 
commanding,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Sioux  Indians  on  the  north  Laramie 
River,  capturing  eighteen  horses  and  mules. 

September  — ,  Troop  "  H,"  8th  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  H.  J.  Farnsworth, 
had  a  fight  with  Indians  at  Sierra  San  Mateo,  New  Mexico,  killing  two 
Indians. 

October  1st,  in  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  Troop  "  C," 
8th  Cavalry,  Captain  G.  W.  Chilson,  had  a  fight  with  Indians,  killing 
three  of  them  and  wounding  one.  The  same  day,  at  Central  Station, 
Texas,  Sergeant  Mew,  with  a  detachment  of  Company  "  K,"  25th  Infan 
try,  had  a  fight  with  Indians.  At  Camp  Colorado,  Texas,  a  detachment 


41 

consisting  of  a  Sergeant  and  thirteen  men  were  attacked  by  a  party  of 
Comanches,  one  Indian  being  wounded. 

October  25th,  Lieutenant  .1.  B.  Kerr  and  twenty-five  men  of  the  6th 
Cavalry  attacked  and  captured  a  party  of  eight  cattle  thieves  near  Little 
Cabin  Creek,  Texas.  Seventy  horses  and  two  hundred  head  of  cattle 
stolen  by  the  thieves  were  recaptured  by  the  detachment. 

December  5th,  Lieutenant  E.  S.  Turner  with  a  detachment  of  the  10th 
Cavalry  assisting  a  Sheriff,  overtook  a  band  of  twenty  cattle  thieves  on 
Elm  Creek,  Texas,  killed  four  of  the  thieves,  captured  sixteen  of  them 
and  recovered  about  one  thousand  head  of  stolen  cattle. 

December  9th,  Troop  "  B,"  4th  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  C.  S.  Hudson, 
had  a  fight  with  Indians  on  the  west  Fork  of  the  Nueces  River,  Texas. 

December  10th.  near  Kickapoo  Springs,  Texas,  a  detachment  of  forty- 
one  men  of  the  4th  Cavalry  and  nine  Seminole  scouts,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  C.  L.  Hudson,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Indians  killing  nine, 
wounding  several  and  recapturing  eighty-one  stolen  horses;  one  soldier 
was  wounded. 

December  27th,  Corporal  Wright,  with  a  detachment  of  the  25th 
Infantry,  had  a  fight  with  Indians  on  Deep  Red  Creek,  Indian  Territory; 
one  Indian  was  wounded. 

December  31st,  a  detachment  of  a  Sergeant  and  three  privates,  Com 
pany  "  B,"  25th  Infantry,  were  attacked  by  about  fifteen  Indians  at 
Eagle  Springs,  Texas;  one  Indian  was  wounded. 


1874. 


During  the  year  1874  the  northern  portion  of  the  Division,  the  Depart 
ment  of  Dakota,  enjoyed  comparative  quiet.  In  that  department  were 
located  the  majority  of  the  hostile  bands  of  Sioux,  some  of  them  on  reser 
vations  along  the  Missouri  River,  some  on  Milk  River  farther  north  near 
the  British  boundary  and  others  roaming  over  the  valleys  of  the  Big 
Horn,  Yellowstone  and  Powder  Rivers,  occasionally  coming  into  Red 
Cloud's  or  Spotted  Tail's  Agencies  to  draw  rations  and  other  supplies. 
Occasionally  they  made  a  dash  about  Fort  Lincoln  to  steal  stock,  or  a 
raid  into  Montana,  with  attacks  once  in  a  while  upon  weak  bands  of 
friendly  Indians,  such  as  the  Mandans  and  Rees.  This  condition  of 
affairs  was  possibly  owing  to  the  limited  extent  of  exposed  frontier  in  the 
Department  of  Dakota,  which  compelled  the  Indians  there  to  seek  for 
plunder  and  scalps  in  the  Department  of  the  Platte,  south  of  them,  where 
the  frontier  settlements  were  much  more  progressed  and  exposed. 

In  order  to  better  control  the  Indians  making  these  raids,  for  two  or 
three  years  it  was  recommended  to  establish  a  large  military  post  in  the 
country  known  as  the  Black  Hills,  so  that  by  holding  an  interior  point  in 
the  heart  of  the  Indian  country,  the  troops  could  threaten  the  villages 
and  stock  of  the  Indians  if  the  latter  raided  the  settlements.  With  the 
consent  of  the  President,  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  War,  the  General 
of  the  Army  and  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  the  latter  hav 
ing  exclusive  control  of  Indian  affairs,  the  Division  Commander  was 
authorized  to  make  a  military  reconnoissance  into  the  country  about  which 
only  dreamy  stories  had  hitherto  been  told.  Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming, 
about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  Black  Hills,  was  first  selected  as  the 
point  from  which  to  fit  out  the  expedition,  but  after  two  visits  in  person 
to  that  post,  the  Division  Commander  found  the  temper  of  the  Indians  in 
that  vicinity  such  that  an  expedition  from  there  would  probably  provoke 
hostilities,  so  attention  was  turned  to  Fort  A.  Lincoln,  at  the  end  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  as  the  next  most  suitable  point  of  departure, 
though  the  distance  was  much  greater  than  from  Fort  Laramie.  General 
Terry  was  directed  to  organize  a  strong  expedition  and  place  it  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  A.  Custer,  7th  Cavalry,  who  was 
regarded  as  especially  fitted  for  such  an  undertaking.  The  reconnoissance 
was  eminently  successful,  the  country  of  the  Black  Hills  was  found  to 
contain  plenty  of  fine  timber,  considerable  good  soil  and  an  abundance  of 


44 

water  and  grass.  Gold  was  also  discovered  by  the  expedition,  leading  to 
a  subsequent  rush  of  miners  and  others  who  were  with  difficulty  restrained 
from  a  general  invasion  of  the  Black  Hills  country.  '  Upon  the  very  satis 
factory  reports  of  this  reconnoissance,  the  recommendation  for  the  estab 
lishment  of  a  large  military  post  in  that  section  was  earnestly  renewed, 
but  unfortunately  for  the  subsequent  history  of  Indian  affairs,  the  con 
struction  of  a  post  was  not  authorized  until  several  years  later,  when 
disasters  had  occurred  which  might  have  been  averted  by  that  greater 
familiarity  with  the  country  which  would  have  been  acquired  by  the 
troops  intended  to  be  stationed  there. 

February  5th,  Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  P.  Buell,  llth  Infantry,  with 
Troops  "G,"  and  "  D,"  10th  Cavalry,  Company  "  F,"  llth  Infantry,  and 
detachments  of  Companies  "A,"  and  "  G,"  llth  Infantry,  attacked  a  camp 
of  Comanches  on  Double  Mountain  Fork  of  the  Brazos  River,  Texas, 
killed  eleven  Indians  and  captured  sixty-five  horses.  One  enlisted  man 
was  wounded  in  the  fight. 

February  9th,  Lieutenant  L.  H.  Robinson,  14th  Infantry,  with  Cor 
poral  Collins,  while  in  charge  of  a  lumber  train  returning  from  the  gov 
ernment  saw-mill  near  Laramie  Peak,  Wyoming,  were  wantonly  murdered 
by  Indians.  This  seemed  to  be  the  signal  for  other  depredations  and  for 
the  commencement  of  great  trouble  at  Red  Cloud's  and  Spotted  Tail's 
Agencies,  located  one  hundred  and  twenty  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  respectively,  north  east  of  Fort  Laramie.  At  the  request  of  the 
Interior  Department  and  at  great  suffering  and  exposure,  troops  had  to 
be  sent  in  the  dead  of  winter  for  the  protection  of  the  Indian  Agents  and 
their  employes  at  these  agencies.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  troops  the 
hostile  bands  withdrew  from  the  agencies,  leaving  the  peacefully  inclined 
to  remain  under  the  protection  of  the  soldiers,  the  hostiles  fleeing  north 
west  towards  the  Powder  River  and  Big  Horn  valleys,  sending  out  young 
warriors  to  steal  stock  and  scalp  people,  whenever  they  could  get  a 
chance  to  do  so  without  much  danger  to  themselves.  The  acts  of  these 
bands  seemed  to  fire  the  blood  of  the  Northern  Cheyennes  and  Arapa- 
hoes,  two  bands  at  that  time  affiliated  with  the  Indians  belonging  to  Red 
Cloud's  Agency;  they  usually  made  their  homes  at  "Pumpkin  Butte," 
near  the  Powder  River,  or  further  west  in  the  valley  of  the  Big  Horn, 
where  the  Wind  River  breaks  through  the  Big  Horn  range  of  mountains. 
From  this  last  named  point  they  commenced  a  series  of  raids  upon  the 
friendly  Shoshones  near  Camp  Brown,  (Fort  Washakie,)  in  the  Wind 
River  country,  stealing  stock,  also,  from  the  settlers  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Big  and  Little  Popoagie  Rivers. 

Up  to  the  month  of  June,  Indian  attacks  in  the  Departments  of  the 
Missouri  and  of  Texas  were  infrequent. 

May  2d,  between   Red  River  and  the  Big  Wichita,  Texas,  a  detach- 


45 

merit  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Gilmore,  10th  Cavalry,  attacked  a 
war  party  of  Indians,  but  there  were  no  casualties. 

May  18th,  Captain  Bentzoni,  25th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  attacked 
a  war  party  of  Indians  in  western  Texas;  no  casualties. 

June  21st,  Major  C.  C.  Compton,  6th  Cavalry,  with  a  small  escort  of 
troops  proceeding  from  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory,  to  Fort  Dodge, 
Kansas,  were  attacked  by  Indians  on  Buffalo  Creek,  Indian  Territory, 
one  enlisted  man  and  one  citizen  being  wounded.  The  same  party  were 
again  attacked, 

June  24th,  at  Bear  Creek  redoubt,  Indian  Territory,  but  the  Indians 
were  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  four  killed  and  several  wounded. 

Immediately  following  these  attacks  many  horrible  massacres  occurred, 
perpetrated  principally  by  Southern  Cheyennes,  assisted  by  Kiowas  and 
Comanches,  culminating  in  a  general  and  determined  attack  upon  some 
buffalo  hunters  who  had  a  ranch  on  the  main  Canadian  River,  at  Adobe 
Walls,  located  in  what  is  known  as  the  "Pan  Handle"  of  Texas.  The 
attack  and  defense  at  this  place  were  desperate,  lasting  for  several  days, 
when  the  Indians  withdrew  with  a  heavy  loss  of  life  on  their  side. 

Before  this  attack,  however,  the  Agent  of  the  Arapahoes  and  South 
ern  Cheyennes  had  been  compelled  to  abandon  his  post  and  many  lives 
were  lost  in  the  vicinity  of  the  agency,  now  known  as  Fort  Reno.  Small 
parties  of  hostiles  had  also  made  their  appearance  along  the  frontier  line 
of  settlements  in  southern  Kansas  and  south  eastern  Colorado. 

To  break  up  a  rendezvous  of  the  Northern  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes, 
discovered  about  ninety  miles  from  Camp  Brown,  Wyoming,  Captain  A. 
E.  Bates  with  Troop  "  B,"  2d  Cavalry  and  about  one  hundred  and  sixty 
friendly  Shoshones,  made  a  rapid  march  from  that  post  and  on 

July  4th,  after  a  gallant  fight,  completely  defeated  the  hostiles  near 
Bad  Water  branch  of  the  Wind  River,  in  Wyoming.  Twenty-six  Indians 
were  killed,  over  twenty  wounded  and  two  hundred  and  thirty  ponies 
captured.  The  troops  had  four  killed  and  six  wounded,  among  the  latter 
being  Lieutenant  R.  H.  Young,  4th  Infantry.  After  this  punishment 
these  two  bands  of  Northern  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  moved  to  Pump 
kin  Butte  and  sent  a  delegation  to  Fort  Fetterman,  asking,  with  much 
bluster,  whether  the  troops  wanted  war.  The  reply  was  "  Yes,"  and  that 
they  would  kill  as  many  Indians  as  possible,  unless  the  latter  stopped 
their  depredations  and  came  into  their  agency.  This  the  hostiles  gen 
erally  concluded  to  do  and  lost  no  time  in  coming  in.  Small  parties  of 
Sioux  remained  out,  however,  plundering  and  killing  a  number  of  per 
sons,  until  a  small  column  of  troops  could  be  sent  against  them,  when 
they  disappeared.  Numerous  raids  were  also  made  upon  the  settlements 
in  the  north  eastern  part  of  Nebraska  and  upon  the  friendly  Ponca 
Indians  located  in  that  vicinity,  but  the  loss  of  life  was  very  small, 
the  Indians  capturing,  however,  a  large  amount  of  stock. 


46 

July  13th,  Captain  Bates  with  Troop  "B,"  2d  Cavalry,  struck  a  war 
party  of  Indians  near  the  Sweetwater,  Wyoming,  killed  one  Indian  and 
captured  seven  horses. 

July  20th,  in  Palo  Pinto  County,  Texas,  a  detachment  of  two  officers, 
nine  men  and  nine  Tonkawa  scouts  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colo 
nel  G.  P.  Buell,  llth  Infantry,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Indians  and  cap 
tured  one  horse. 

The  Southern  Cheyennes,  Kiowas,  Arapahoes  and  other  bands  in  the 
Indian  Territory,  having  inaugurated  in  June  a  series  of  attacks  upon  the 
settlers,  as  before  described,  had  been  in  the  habit  of  escaping  pursuit  and 
punishment,  by  flying  into  their  agencies.  On  the  21st  of  July  authority 
was  received  through  the  War  Department,  from  the  Department  of  the 
Interior,  to  punish  these  Indians  wherever  they  might  be  found,  even  to 
following  them  upon  their  reservations  set  apart  for  them  in  the  Indian 
Territory.  General  Pope,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  Missouri, 
was  directed  to  push  his  troops  into  the  field  and  carry  out  these  condi 
tions  as  far  as  practicable.  Several  columns  were  accordingly  started 
out  in  the  Indian  Territory  with  the  object  of  finding  and  punishing  the 
bands  which  had  been  committing  atrocities  in  the  Department  of  the 
Missouri.  Among  the  earliest  of  the  engagements  which  took  place 
under  the  special  authority  to  pursue  Indians  taking  refuge  upon  reser 
vations,  was  that  which  occurred 

August  22d,  at  the  Wichita  Agency,  Indian  Territory,  when  Troops 
"E,"  "H,"  and  "L,"  10th  Cavalry  and  Company  "I,"  25th  Infantry, 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  W.  Davidson,  10th  Cavalry, 
from  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory,  had  a  severe  fight  with  a  band  of  hostile 
Comanches  and  Kiowas  who  had  taken  refuge  with  the  friendly  Indians 
located  at  the  Wichita  Agency.  Four  enlisted  men  were  wounded  and 
the  Indians  lost  sixteen  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  hostiles  attempted 
to  burn  out  the  agency  and  the  camps  of  the  friendly  Indians,  in  which 
the  troops  were  posted,  but  were  defeated  in  their  designs. 

A  column  consisting  of  eight  troops  of  the  6th  Cavalry  and  four  com 
panies  5th  Infantry,  with  a  section  of  artillery,  commanded  by  Colonel 
N.  A.  Miles,  5th  Infantry,  was  also  advanced  against  the  Indians  from 
Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory,  via  the  Antelope  Hills.  Another  column, 
consisting  of  three  troops  of  the  8th  Cavalry  and  a  couple  of  mountain 
howitzers,  under  Major  W.  R.  Price,  8th  Cavalry,  from  Forts  Bascom  and 
Union,  New  Mexico,  moved  down  the  main  Canadian  to  join  "Colonel 
Miles  at  or  near  the  Antelope  Hills. 

August  30th,  the  column  of  Colonel  Miles  encountered  the  Indians 
near  the  headwaters  of  the  Washita  and  kept  up  a  running  fight  for  sev 
eral  days,  the  Indians  steadily  falling  back  until  they  reached  the  hills, 
about  eight  miles  from  Salt  Fork  of  Red  River,  where  they  made  a  stand 
but  were  promptly  attacked,  routed  and  pursued  in  a  south  westerly  direc- 


47 

tion,  across  the  main  Red  River  and  out  into  the  Staked  Plains,  with  a 
loss  of  three  killed,  besides  animals  and  camp  equipage  captured.  The 
troops  had  one  soldier  and  one  civilian  wounded. 

September  9th,  Indians  attacked  Colonel  Miles'  supply  train,  escorted 
by  about  sixty  men,  commanded  by  Captain  Lyman,  5th  Infantry,  on  the 
Washita  River,  Texas,  keeping  it  corraled  there  for  several  days  until 
relief  arrived  from  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory.  One  enlisted  man 
was  killed,  one  soldier,  a  wagon-master  and  Lieutenant  G.  Lewis,  5th 
Infantry,  were  wounded. 

September  llth  and  12th,  near  the  Washita  River,  a  detachment  of 
two  scouts  and  four  soldiers  from  Colonel  Miles'  command,  in  endeavor 
ing  to  communicate  with  that  of  Major  Price,  were  attacked  by  Indians 
and  four  of  the  six  wounded,  one  of  the  wounded  dying  in  a  hole  in 
which  the  party  desperately  defended  themselves  for  two  days  until 
relieved  by  troops  in  that  vicinity. 

September  12th,  the  column  under  command  of  Major  Price,  8th  Cav 
alry,  had  a  fight  with  a  considerable  body  of  Indians  between  Sweetwater 
and  the  Dry  Fork  of  the  Washita,  Texas.  Two  Indians  were  reported 
killed  and  six  wounded;  the  troops  had  fourteen  horses  killed  and 
wounded.  The  column  pursued  the  Indians  for  seven  or  eight  miles 
when  the  hostiles  scattered  in  every  direction;  about  twenty  Indian 
ponies  were  captured  in  the  pursuit. 

September  26th  and  27th,  Colonel  R.  S.  MacKenzie.  with  Troops  "A," 
"D,"  "E,"  "F,"  "H,"  "I,"  and  "  K,"  4th  Cavalry,  after  repelling  two 
Indian  attacks,  surprised  five  camps  of  Southern  Cheyennes  and  their 
allies  in  a  canon  near  Red  River,  Texas,  destroyed  over  one  hundred 
lodges  and  captured  their  entire  outfit  including  over  fourteen  hundred 
horses  and  mules.  One  enlisted  man  was  wounded  and  four  Indians 
killed. 

October  9th,  on  Salt  Fork  of  Red  River,  Texas,  the  scouts  of  a  column 
consisting  of  Companies  "A,"  "E,"  "  F,"  "  H,"  and  "I,"  llth  Infantry, 
under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Buell,  llth  Infantry,  struck  a  band  of  Kiowas, 
killed  one  of  them  and  destroyed  their  camp.  Pursuit  was  made  for  a 
considerable  distance,  the  main  column  destroying  several  hundred  lodges 
in  various  abandoned  camps,  but  the  Indians  escaped  northward. 

October  13th,  near  Gageby  Creek,  Indian  Territory,  a  detachment  of 
Navajoe  scouts  accompanying  the  column  under  Major  Price,  8th  Cav 
alry,  from  New  Mexico,  attacked  and  dispersed  a  war  party  of  Indians. 

October  ]  7th,  about  five  miles  north  of  the  Washita,  Indian  Territory, 
Captain  Chaffee  with  "  I"  Troop,  6th  Cavalry,  surprised  an  Indian  camp 
and  destroyed  their  entire  outfit,  the  Indians  escaping  in  great  haste;  no 
casualties  occurred. 

An  expedition  having  been  fitted  out  from  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory, 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  .1.  W.  Davidson,  10th  Cavalry, 


48 

October  24th,  upon  Elk  Creek,  Indian  Territory,  Major  G.  W.  Scho- 
field  with  his  command  of  three  troops  of  the  10th  Cavalry,  from  General 
Davidson's  column,  surprised  a  Comanche  Indian  camp  and  charged  it. 
The  hostiles  displayed  a  white  flag  and  surrendered  themselves  as  prison 
ers;  sixty-nine  warriors,  besides  two  hundred  and  fifty  women  and  chil 
dren,  together  with  about  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  horses  were 
captured.  The  same  day  Captain  Carpenter  with  two  troops  of  the  10th 
Cavalry,  from  General  Davidson's  column,  struck  the  trail  of  a  band  of 
about  fifty  Kiowas  with  two  hundred  head  of  stock.  The  Indians  were 
pursued  rapidly  but  scattered  to  escape  capture,  and  on 

October  28th,  over  twenty  warriors  with  their  women,  children  and 
stock,  surrendered  themselves  at  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory.  General 
Davidson's  expedition  altogether  captured  or  caused  the  surrender  of 
ninety-one  warriors  and  three  hundred  women  and  children,  with  about 
two  thousand  ponies,  besides  -capturing  or  destroying  several  villages  and 
much  camp  equipage. 

October  — ,  Captain  A.  E.  Hooker  with  Troops  "E,"  and  "  K,"  9th 
Cavalry,  had  a  fight  near  the  Canadian  River,  in  the  Pan  Handle  of 
Texas,  killing  one  Indian. 

November  3d,  Colonel  R.  S.  Mackenzie  with  Troops  "A,"  "  D,"  "  E," 
"F,"  "H,"  "I,"  "K,"  and  "  L,"  4th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with  Indians  on 
Las  Lagunas  Quatro,  Texas,  killing  two  Indians  and  capturing  nineteen. 

November  6th,  on  McClellan  Creek,  Texas,  Lieutenant  H.  J.  Farns- 
worth  with  twenty-eight  men  of  Troop  "  H,"  8th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with 
about  one  hundred  Southern  Cheyennes,  killing  from  four  to  seven  and 
wounding  ten  Indians;  one  enlisted  man  was  killed,  four  wounded  and 
six  cavalry  horses  killed. 

November  8th,  near  McClellan  Creek,  Texas,  Lieutenant  F.  D.  Bald 
win,  5th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  consisting  of  Troop  "  D,"  Gth  Cav 
alry  and  Company  "  D,"  5th  Infantry,  attacked  a  large  camp  of  Indians, 
routing  them  with  the  loss  of  much  of  their  property.  Two  little  white 
girls,  Adelaide  and  Julia  Germaine,  aged  five  and  seven  years,  were 
rescued  from  these  Indians.  The  children  stated  that  two  older  sisters 
were  still  held  captive  by  the  Indians.  The  story  of  their  woe  and  suffer 
ing  in  captivity  was  pitiable  in  the  extreme,  not  even  their  tender  years 
sparing  them  from  the  most  dreadful  treatment.  Their  father,  mother, 
brother  and  one  sister  were  all  murdered  at  the  time  the  four  sisters  were 
captured.  At  the  close  of  this  campaign  the  other  two  sisters  were 
rescued  from  the  Indians  and  all  four  provided  a  comfortable,  home  with 
the  Army  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas.  General  Miles  became  their 
guardian  and  Congress  authorized  the  stoppage  of  an  amount  for  the  sup 
port  of  the  children  from  the  annuities  of  their  captors,  the  Southern 
Cheyennes. 

November   8th,   Troops  « B,"   "C,"   "  F,"   and  "H,"   10th   Cavalry, 


49 

detachments  Companies  "  E,"  and  "  I,"  llth  Infantry  and  thirty  Indian 
scouts,  all  under  command  of  Captain  C.  D.  Viele,  10th  Cavalry,  were 
detached  from  Colonel  Davidson's  column  near  McClellan  Creek,  Texas, 
to  pursue  the  band  attacked  by  Lieutenant  Baldwin  the  same  day.  Cap 
tain  Viele's  command  chased  the  Indians  for  a  distance  of  ninety-six 
miles,  having  several  slight  skirmishes  with  the  rear  guard  of  Indians  and 
capturing  a  number  of  ponies  and  mules,  the  latter  packed,  which  the 
Indians  had  abandoned  in  the  flight. 

November  28th,  Captain  C.  A.  Hartwell  with  Troops  "  C,"  «  H,"  "  K," 
and  "  L,"  8th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Southern  Cheyennes  near 
Muster  Creek,  Texas,  killed  two  Indians,  wounded  two  and  chased  the 
band  for  twelve  miles  until  sundown. 

December  2d,  First  Sergeant  Dennis  Ryan  with  twenty  men  of 
Troop  "  I,"  6th  Cavalry,  discovered  a  band  of  Indians  on  Gageby  Creek, 
Indian  Territory,  attacked  and  chased  them  for  ten  miles,  killing  and 
capturing  from  them  fifty  ponies,  some  of  which  were  "packed  or  saddled. 
The  detachment  also  destroyed  a  large  amount  of  Indian  property. 

December  7th,  Captain  A.  B.  Keyes  with  Troop  "  I,"  10th  Cavalry, 
attacked  a  band  of  Southern  Cheyennes  on  Kingfisher  Creek,  Texas,  cap 
turing  thirteen  warriors  and  the  same  number  of  squaws. 

December  8th,  Lieutenant  L.  Warrington,  with  ten  men  of  Troop  "  I," 
4th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  party  of  about  fifteen  Indians  on  Muchaque, 
Texas,  killed  two  Indians,  wounded  one  and  captured  one. 

December  28th,  Troop  "  I,"  10th  Cavalry,  Captain  A.  B.  Keyes  fol 
lowed  a  band  of  Cheyennes  for  eighty  miles  to  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Canadian  River,  and  captured  the  entire  band  consisting  of  fifty-two 
Indians  with  seventy  ponies. 


±875. 


The  military  operations  against  the  bands  in  the  Indian  Territory, 
described  during  the  last  half  of  the  year  1874,  were  continued  during 
the  winter  of  that  year  and  well  into  the  spring  of  1875.  The  force 
brought  from  New  Mexico  under  Major  Price,  8th  Cavalry,  was  consoli 
dated  with  that  under  Colonel  Miles,  and  the  whole  expedition  from  the 
Department  of  the  Missouri  fell  under  the  immediate  command  of  the 
latter  during  the  rest  of  the  field  operations.  It  consisted  of  eight  troops 
of  the  6th  Cavalry  under  Majors  Compton  and  Biddle,  four  troops  of  the 
8th  Cavalry  under  Major  Price,  and  four  companies  of  the  5th  Infantry. 
From  July  21st,  1874,  to  February  12th,  1875,  the  whole,  of  this  force  was 
actively  and  incessantly  employed  in  scouting  the  entire  section  infested 
by  the  Indian  Territory  bands  keeping  the  Indians  so  constantly  on  the 
move  that  they  were  unable  to  lay  in  any  stock  of  provisions.  This 
active  work  was  continued  by  the  troops  upon  the  exposed  and  barren 
plains  of  that  region,  during  the  whole  of  a  winter  of  unprecedented 
severity  and  as  the  season  advanced  the  difficulty  of  supplying  the  neces 
sary-forage  and  subsistence  increased  so  that  no  little  hardship  and  pri 
vation  resulted,  but  the  troops  bore  everything  with  fortitude  and  courage 
and  without  complaint.  By  extraordinary  efforts  enough  supplies 
reached  the  troops  to  keep  them  in  the  field  until  their  work  was  done 
and  at  length  early  in  March,  1875,  the  Southern  Cheyennes,  completely 
broken  down,  gave  up  the  contest  arid  under  their  principal  chief,  Stone 
Calf,  the  whole  body  of  that  tribe,  with  a  trifling  exception,  surrendered 
themselves  as  prisoners  of  war,  restoring  at  the  same  time  the  two  elder 
Germaine  girls  who  had  been  captives  among  them  for  nearly  eight 
months.  In  surrendering,  the  Indians  gave  up  their  horses,  which  were 
sold,  and  witlT  the  proceeds  were  purchased  herds  of  young  beef  cattle 
for  the  pastoral  education  of  the  Indians.  Although  the  conditions  of 
surrender  required  the  Indians  to  deliver  up  their  arms,  only  some 
guns  and  a  large  quantity  of  bows  and  arrows  were  turned  in,  the  greater 
part  of  their  more  valuable  fire-arms  being  hidden  away  where  no  search 
by  the  troops  would  be  likely  to  find  them. 

During  the  winter  the  Kiowas  and  Comanches,  against  whom  the 
expeditions  in  the  Department  of  Texas,  under  Colonels  Mackenzie, 
Davidson  and  Buell  had  been  compaigning  with  the  most  commendable 
energy,  in  co-operation  with  the  column  under  Colonel  Miles,  went  into 
Fort  Sill,  first  in  small  parties  and  then  in  larger  numbers,  surrendering 


52 

there  in  like  manner.  By  the  month  of  June,  1875,  the  last  of  the  bands 
absent  from  their  agencies,  the  Quehada  Comanches,  came  into  Fort  Sill, 
Indian  Territory,  where  they  surrendered  themselves  with  large  numbers 
of  ponies  and  mules,  to  Colonel  R.  S.  Mackenzie  commanding  at  that 
post. 

Orders  were  received,  when  the  Indians  began  to  surrender,  to  select 
from  among  them  the  principal  ringleaders  who  had  incited  or  led  bands 
of  hostiles  in  the  recent  outrages,  to  be  sent  to  the  sea  coast  and  there  be 
kept  in  confinement  for  a  time  at  least.  Seventy-five  men  were  accord 
ingly  picked  out  from  the  several  tribes  and  were  sent  to  St.  Augustine, 
Florida.  On  April  6th,  whilst  shackling  "  Black  Horse,"  one  of  the  Chey- 
ennes  who  were  thus  to  be  disposed  of,  he  broke  from  the  guard  and  ran 
directly  towards  the  camp  of  his  people.  He  was  "pursued  by  Captain 
Bennett,  5th  Infantry,  with  the  guard,  who  fired  upon  and  killed  "  Black 
Horse"  whose  escape  seemed  certain  without  this  alternative.  The  shots 
being  in  the  direction  of  the  Indian  camp,  several  passed  beyond  the 
escaping  prisoner  and  wounded  some  persons  there.  After  a  volley  of 
bullets  and  arrows  upon  the  guard,  in  the  greatest  excitement,  about  one 
half  of  the  Cheyenne  tribe  fled  to  the  sand  hills  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Canadian,  opposite  the  agency.  The  troops,  consisting  of  Captain  Ben 
nett's  company  of  the  5th  Infantry,  with  two  troops  of  the  10th  and  one 
of  the  6th  Cavalry,  all  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  T.  H.  Neill, 
6th  Cavalry  followed,  but  the  Indians,  well  supplied  with  the  fire-arms 
they  had  hidden  in  that  vicinity,  occupied  a  difficult  hill  and  maintained 
themselves  against  the  troops  for  several  hours  until  nightfall.  By  night 
the  troops  had  forced  their  way  nearly  to  the  crest  of  the  hill  occupied 
by  the  Indians,  but  at  daylight  it  was  found  the  enemy  had  fled  during 
the  night.  Eleven  Indians  were  found  dead  and  nineteen  soldiers  were 
wounded.  Troops  from  other  posts  in  the  vicinity  were  ordered  to  assist 
in  the  pursuit,  and  eventually  most  of  the  escaped  Cheyennes  gave  them 
selves  up. 

January  16th,  a  detachment  of  troops  under  Lieutenant  F:  S.  Hinkle, 
5th  Infantry,  after  a  short  chase  captured  a  party  of  four  Cheyennes  near 
the  Smoky  Hill  River,  Kansas,  south  east  of  Fort  Wallace. 

January  26th,  Colonel  Edward  Hatch,  9th  Cavalry,  reported  an  attack 
by  about  from  twenty  to  forty  cattle  thieves,  upon  a  detachment  consist 
ing  of  a  Corporal  and  four  men  of  Troop  "  G,"  9th  Cavalry,  eighteen 
miles  from  Ringgold  Barracks,  Texas,  two  of  the  soldiers  being  killed. 
Colonel  Hatch,  with  Troops  "  B,"  and  "  G,"  9th  Cavalry,  captured  a  num 
ber  of  suspicious  characters,  two  of  whom  were  wounded  in  the  attack 
upon  the  detachment.  A  coroner's  jury  found  nine  Mexicans,  seven  of 
whom  were  among  Colonel  Hatch's  prisoners,  guilty  of  the  murder  of  the 
soldiers. 

February  23d,  Lieutenant    Colonel   J.   W.   Davidson,   10th    Cavalry, 


53 

reported  the  capture  of  a  band  of  Kiowas  on  Salt  Fork  of  Red  River, 
Texas.  The  prisoners  consisted  of  sixty-five  men  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  women  and  children,  with  about  three  hundred  ponies  and 
seventy  mules  which  were  also  captured.  Among  the  prisoners  were 
"  Lone  Wolf,"  "  Red  Otter"  and  "  Lean  Bull  ;"  all  surrendered  uncondi 
tionally  with  their  arms  and  ponies. 

April  6th,  at  the  Cheyenne  and  Arapahoe  Agency  (now  known  as 
Fort  Reno,  Indian  Territory,)  took  place  the  outbreak  of  the  Cheyenne 
prisoners  already  described,  and  the  attack  upon  them  in  an  intrenched 
position,  by  the  troops  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  T.  H.  Neill, 
6th  Cavalry. 

A  party  of  about  sixty  or  seventy  Cheyennes,  consisting  of  the  worst 
criminals  of  the  tribe,  those  who  had  murdered  the  Germaine  family  and 
others,  being  afraid  on  that  account  to  surrender  with  the  rest,  crossed 
the  Arkansas  River  west  of  Fort  Dodge  and  attempted  to  make  their  way 
to  the  Sioux  country,  north  of  the  Platte. 

April  23d,  a  detachment  of  forty  men  under  Lieutenant  A.  Henley, 
6th  Cavalry,  struck  this  band  in  the  north  Fork  of  Sappa  Creek,  south 
east  of  Fort  Wallace,  Kansas,  cut  off  twenty-seven  of  them  from  their 
ponies  and  demanded  their  surrender.  The  Indians  replied  by  a  volley, 
when  Lieutenant  Henley's  detachment  attacked  them  and  nearly 
destroyed  the  whole  party,  nineteen  warriors,  including  two  chiefs  and 
a  medicine  man,  being  killed.  Over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  ponies 
were  captured  and  the  Indian  camp  burned,  the  balance  of  the  band 
escaping  northward.  Two  enlisted  men  were  killed. 

April  26th,  on  the  Pecos  River,  Texas,  Lieutenant  Bullis,  with  a 
detachment  of  three  men  of  the  24th  Infantry,  surprised  and  attacked  a 
band  of  about  twenty-five  Comanches,  killed  three  and  wounded  one. 

May  5th,  Sergeant  Marshall,  with  a  detachment  of  Troop  "A,"  10th 
Cavalry,  attacked  a  band  of  Indians  at  Battle  Point,  Texas,  wounded  one 
Indian  and  captured  his  pony. 

June  3d,  Lieutenant  J.  A.  McKinney,  with  a  detachment  of  the  4th 
Cavalry,  in  pursuit  of  thieving  Indians,  overtook  several  Osages  robbing 
a  cattle  herd  on  Hackberry  Creek,  Indian  Territory.  A  Corporal  and 
two  men  in  advance  attempted  to  arrest  the  Indians  who  began  firing  on 
the  detachment  and  one  Osage  was  killed. 

July  1st,  on  the  Little  Popoagie,  Wyoming,  First  Sergeant  Mitchell 
with  a  detachment  Troop  "  D,"  2d  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with  Indians,  kill 
ing  two  of  them. 

July  6th,  the  Ponca  Agency,  Dakota,  was  attacked  by  a  band  of  from 
one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  Sioux.  Sergeant  Danvers  with  a 
detachment  of  eleven  men  Company  "  G,"  1st  Infantry,  posted  at  the 
agency,  loaded  an  old  cannon  with  pieces  of  iron  and  with  this  impro- 


54 

vised  ammunition  drove  off  the  attacking  party  in  three  assaults,  when 
the  enemy  withdrew. 

July  7th,  near  Camp  Lewis,  Montana,  a  band  of  about  fifty  Indians 
ran  off  a  quantity  of  horses.  A  detachment  of  Company  "  G,"  7th  Infan 
try,  under  Lieutenant  G.  H.  Wright,  pursued  the  Indians,  surprised  and 
attacked  them  and  recovered  seven  head  of  stolen  horses. 

October  27th,  Captain  J.  M.  Hamilton  with  Troop  "  H,"  5th  Cavalry, 
from  Fort  Wallace,  Kansas,  had  a  fight  with  a  ban'd  of  Indians  near  the 
Smoky  Hill  River,  Kansas;  two  Indians  were  killed  and  one  soldier 
wounded. 

November  2d,  Lieutenant  A.  Geddes,  25th  Infantry,  with  two  troops 
of  the  10th  Cavalry,  attacked  a  band  of  Indians  near  the  Pecos  River, 
Texas,  killed  one  and  captured  five. 

November  20th,  a  detachment  of  Troop  "  G,"  3d  Cavalry,  under  Lieu 
tenant  E.  Crawford,  had  a  fight  with  Indians  near  Antelope  Station, 
Nebraska. 

A  summary  of  the  situation  of  affairs  upon  the  Indian  and  the  Rio 
Grande  frontiers,  is  found  in  the  following  extract  from  the  annual  report 
of  Lieutenant  General  P.  H.  Sheridan  for  1875.  " 

"  In  the  Department  of  Dakota,  the  military  have  had  the  double  duty 
of  protecting  the  settlements  from  the  raids  of  hostile  Indians,  and  the 
Black  Hills  country  from  occupation  by  miners  attracted  there  by  real  or 
imaginary  mineral  wealth  in  the  soil.  The  troops  in  the  Department  of 
the  Platte  have  been  mostly  engaged  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of  the 
Department  of  Dakota. 

"I  earnestly  recommend  some  action  which  will  settle  this  Black  Hills 
question,  and  relieve  us  from  an  exceedingly  disagreeable  and  embar 
rassing  duty.  I  feel  quite  satisfied  that  all  the  country  south  of  the  Yel 
lowstone  River,  from  the  Black  Hills  of  the  Cheyenne  as  far  west  as  the 
Big  Horn  Valley,  and  perhaps  as  far  west  as  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Yellow 
stone,  is  gold  bearing,  but  as  to  the  amount  of  the  gold  deposit  I  cannot 
say;  it  may  be  great,  or  it  may  be  small. 

"  This  area  is  also,  at  many  places,  well  timbered,  has  many  beautiful 
valleys  of  rather  high  altitude,  with  good  soil  and  abundance  of  running 
water.  I  make  this  statement  from  having  studied  this  country  for  a 
long  time  and  in  order  that  my  superiors  who  will,  before  long,  have  to 
deal  with  the  question  of  the  Black  Hills,  may  be  able  to  better  appre 
ciate  the  interests  of  all  concerned,  be  they  white  or  red. 

"  The  Sioux  Indians,  numbering  about  twenty-five  thousand,  now 
hold  this  extensive,  and,  perhaps,  very  valuable  country,  and  in  addition, 
the  belt  eastward  from  the  base  of  the  Black  Hills  of  the  Cheyenne  to 
the  Missouri  River,  which  would  make  about  ten  thousand  acres  of  land 
for  the  head  of  each  family,  and  perhaps  much  more. 

"To  meet  the  troubles  which  will  originate  from  the  Black  Hills  ques- 


55 

tion,  to  be  in  advance  of  them  when  they  come,  and  be  better  able  to 
deal  with  them,  I  directed,  without  expense  to  the  Government,  an 
exploration  of  the  Yellowstone  River  last  spring,  and  selected  two  sites 
for  military  posts,  one  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn,  the  other  at  the 
mouth  of  Tongue  River,  both  in  the  valley  of  the  Yellowstone.  These 
stations  can  be  supplied  by  steamboats  and  will  have  so  important  a  bear 
ing  on  the  settlement  of  the  Sioux  Indian  question,  that  I  earnestly 
recommend  that  Congress  be  called  upon  to  give  authority  for  their 
establishment,  and  the  necessary  funds  for  their  construction. 

"  In  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  the  campaign  against  the  Chey- 
ennes,  Kiowas  and  Comanches,  was  finished  early  in  the  spring,  and  the 
ringleaders  and  worst  criminals  separated  from  the  tribes  and  sent  to 
Fort  Marion,  Florida. 

"  Nearly  all  the  troops  in  the  Department  of  Texas,  except  those  along 
the  Rio  Grande  frontier,  were  engaged  in  this  campaign.  Those  sta 
tioned  along  the  Rio  Grande  River,  the  boundary  line  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,  have  had  the  humiliating  duty  of  attempting 
to  protect  our  citizens  and  their  property  from  raids  by  people  of  a 
foreign  country,  who  come  over  the  boundary  in  armed  parties  to  steal 
cattle,  and  who  do  not  hesitate  to  attack  and  kill  our  citizens,  when 
necessary  to  accomplish  their  purposes. 

"  The  low  stage  of  water  in  the  Rio  Grande  and  its  great  length — 
twelve  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  miles — makes  the  duty  of  protecting 
it  difficult,  in  fact,  almost  impossible,  with  the  few  troops  available  for  the 
purpose." 


±876. 


January  22d,  Lieutenant  H.  S.  Bishop,  with  a  detachment  of  seven 
teen  men,  Troop  "  G,"  5th  Cavalry,  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  which 
had  been  stealing  stock  near  Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory,  overtook 
the  Indians  on  the  Cimmaron  River,  killed  three  and  captured  four, 
together  with  thirty-five  ponies  and  two  mules. 

February  21st,  Major  Brisbin,  2d  Cavalry,  with  four  troops  2d  Cav 
alry,  a  detachment  of  Company  "C,"  7th  Infantry,  a  field-gun  and  fifteen 
citizens,  numbering  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  officers  and  men,  left  Fort 
Ellis,  Montana,  to  march  to  the  relief  of  a  party  of  citizens,  besieged  by 
Indians,  at  the  trading-post  at  Fort  Pease,  reaching  there  on  March  4th. 
The  original  party  had  consisted  of  forty-six  men  who  defended  them 
selves  desperately  in  a  stockade,  until  the  relief  column  of  troops 
arrived.  Six  persons  had  been  killed,  eight  wounded  and  thirteen  had 
escaped,  by  night,  only  nineteen  being  found  left  in  the  stockade,  and 
these  were  brought  off  by  the  troops. 

In  Noyember,  1875,  Indian  Inspector  E.  C.  Watkins,  reported  to  the 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  the  attitude  of  certain  wild  and  hostile 
bands  of  Indians,  under  the  leadership  of  various  chiefs  or  head-men, 
who  were  roaming  about  Dakota  and  Montana. 

Some  of  these  bands  had  never  accepted  the  reservation  system, 
would  not  recognize  the  authority  of  the  Government,  and  insisted  upon 
remaining  wild  and  perfectly  free  from  control.  Of  this  class  was  "  Sit 
ting  Bull,"  who  was  not  a  chief,  but  a  "  head-man,"  and  whose  imme 
diate  following  did  not  exceed  thirty  or  forty  lodges. 

Among  the  Indians  referred  to,  were  some  who  had  not  only  attacked 
settlers  and  emigrants,  but  who  had  also  been  in  the  habit  of  making 
war  upon  the  Mandans,  Arickarees,  and  other  tribes  who  were  friendly 
to  the  whites.  Inspector  Watkins  recommended,  therefore,  that  troops 
should  be  sent  into  the  country  inhabited  by  these  wild  and  roving 
bands,  to  punish  and  reduce  them  to  subjection.  His  report,  with  the 
views  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  together  with  the  recom 
mendation  of  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior  that  these  Indians 
be  informed  they  must  remove  to 'reservations  before  January  31st,  1876, 
or  in  event  of  their  failure  to  do  so,  by  that  date,  that  they  would  be 
turned  over  to  the  War  Department,  were  all  referred  by  the  General 
of  the  Army  to  Lieutenant  General  Sheridan,  December  13th,  1875. 


58 

Another  chief  or  head-man,  against  whom  military  operations  were 
contemplated,  was  "  Crazy-Horse,"  an  Ogallala  Sioux,  properly  belong 
ing  to  Red  Cloud  Agency,  whose  band  comprised  perhaps  a  hundred  and 
twenty  lodges,  numbering  about  two  hundred  warriors. 

As  Generals  Terry  and  Crook  commanded  the  Departments  in  which 
these  Indians  were  located,  the  subject  was  submitted  to  them. 

General  Terry's  opinion  was  that  Sitting  Bull's  band  was  encamped 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Missouri,  that  it  could  be  reached  by  a 
quick  movement  which  might  be  decisive  at  that  season  of  the  year,  and 
that  he  had  sufficient  troops  to  make  such  a  movement.  General  Crook 
was  of  opinion  that  operations  against  the  hostiles  could  be  undertaken 
in  his  department  whenever,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Indian  Bureau,  such 
action  became  necessary. 

On  February  7th,  by  endorsement  of  the  General  of  the  Army  upon 
a  letter  of  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  authority  was 
received  to  commence  operations  against  the  hostiles. 

Meanwhile  General  Terry  had  learned  that  Sitting  Bull's  band  was 
on  the  Dry  Fork  of  the  Missouri,  some  two  hundred  miles  further  west, 
instead  of  upon  the  Little  Missouri,  and  on  the  8th  of  February  General 
Terry  was  directed  to  take  such  steps,  with  the  forces  under  his  com 
mand,  as  would  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  Interior  Department  and  the 
orders  of  the  General  of  the  Army.  General  Terry  was  also  informed 
that  General  Crook  would  operate  from  the  south,  in  the  direction  of  the 
headwaters  of  Powder  River,  Pumpkin  Buttes,  Tongue  River,  Rosebud 
and  Big  Horn  Rivers,  frequented  by  Crazy-Horse  and  his  allies,  and  that 
the  lines  of  the  two  military  departments  would  be  disregarded  by  the 
troops  until  the  object  requested  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  was 
attained. 

Similar  directions  were  given  General  Crook,  and,  as  the  Indian  vil 
lages  were  movable,  no  objective  point  could  be  fixed  upon  for  concerted 
operations  by  the  two  distinct  expeditions  from  the  Departments  of  the 
Platte  and  Dakota. 

During  the  time  these  preparations  were  making,  efforts  were  con 
tinued  to  have  the  Indians  come  in  to  their  agencies,  settle  down  and  be 
peaceable,  but  without  avail. 

Immediately  upon  receipt  of  his  instructions,  General  Crook  com 
menced  concentrating  at  Fort  Fetterman,  the  available  cavalry  of  his 
command,  consisting  of  about  ten  troops  of  the  2d  and  3d  Cavalry 
which,  with  two  companies  of  infantry,  moved  out  from  that  post  March 
1st,  in  search  of  the  hostiles,  believed  to  be  located  on  the  headwaters  of 
Powder  River,  Tongue  River,  or  the  Rosebud. 

March  17th,  the  main  part  of  the  expedition,  under  Colonel  J.  J.  Rey 
nolds,  3d  Cavalry,  consisting  of  Troops  "  A,"  "B,"  "  E,"  "I,"  and  "  K," 
2d  Cavalry,  with  a  detachment  of  Troop  "  A,"  and  Troops  "  E,"  "  F," 


59 

and  "  M,"  3d  Cavalry,  attacked  a  large  village  of  Sioux  and  Northern 
Cheyenries,  near  the  mouth  of  Little  Powder  River,  Montana,  destroying 
all  the  lodges,  one  hundred  and  five  in  number,  with  ammunition  and 
stores.  A  large  herd  of  animals  was  also  captured,  but  were  subse 
quently  recovered  by  the  hostiles.  Four  enlisted  men  were  killed  and 
Lieutenant  Rawolle,  2d  Cavalry,  and  five  men  wounded.  The  village 
was  a  perfect  magazine  of  ammunition,  war  material  and  general  sup 
plies,  and  every  evidence  was  found  to  prove  these  Indians  in  co-part 
nership  with  those  at  the  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  Agencies,  that 
the  proceeds  of  raids  upon  the  settlements  had  been  taken  into  those 
agencies  and  supplies  brought  out  in  return. 

The  command  had  suffered  so  much  from  the  severity  of  the  weather, 
the  mercurial  thermometer  failing  to  register  the  intensity  of  the  cold, 
that  after  the  destruction  of  the  village,  the  column  returned  to  Fort 
Fetterman  and  the  troops  were  distributed  to  their  various  winter  stations 
for  shelter. 

About  the  same  time  that  General  Crook  was  preparing  to  move,  as 
described,  General  Terry  projected  an  expedition  against  Sitting  Bull's 
band,  but  before  the  7th  Cavalry  could  be  fully  concentrated  at  Fort  A. 
Lincoln,  for  the  purpose,  the  season  became  so  inclement  that  it  was 
thought  advisable  to  postpone  the  expedition  until  later,  the  snow  being 
so  deep  and  the  number  of  men  badly  frozen,  so  great.  The  impractica 
bility  of  operating  from  the  Missouri  River  against  the  Sioux,  during  the 
winter  and  spring,  owing  to  the  wild  storms  of  Dakota,  was  fully  proven 
and  rendered  more  than  ever  apparent  the  necessity  for  the  large  military 
posts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  River  and  on  the  Big  Horn,  already 
repeatedly  recommended  in  anticipation  of  hostilities  with  the  Sioux. 

April  28th,  near  Grace  Creek,  Nebraska,  a  mounted  detachment  of 
nine  men  of  Company  "  A,"  23d  Infantry,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  C. 
H.  Heyl,  had  a  fight  with  a  band  of  Indians,  killing  one  Indian  and 
wounding  several  others.  The  Sergeant  of  the  detachment  was  killed 
upon  charging  the  Indians  strongly  posted  on  a  hill. 

No  change  having  been  made  in  the  orders  already  described,  early 
in  the  spring  Generals  Terry  and  Crook  prepared  to  resume  the  opera 
tions  discontinued  previously  on  account  of  the  severity  of  the  weather. 
At  Fort  Fetterman,  Wyoming,  General  Crook  concentrated  Troops  "  A," 
"B,""D,""E,"  and  "I,"  2d  Cavalry,  Troops  "A,"  "B,""C,""D," 
"  E,"  "  F,"  "  H,"  "  I,"  "  L,"  and  "  M,"  3d  Cavalry,  Companies  "  D,"  and 
"  F,"  4th  Infantry,  and  Companies  "C,"  "  G,"  and  "H,"  9th  Infantry. 

On  May  29th,  this  column  under  the  personal  command  of  General 
Crook,  left  Fort  Fetterman  for  Goose  Creek,  where  a  supply  camp  was 
established  on  June  8th.  From  this  point  General  Crook  moved  out, 
June  13th,  and  on  June  17th,  Indians  were  discovered  in  large  numbers 
on  the  Rosebud.  General  Crook's  command  of  less  than  a  thousand  men 


GO 

was  attacked  with  desperation,  the  light  lasting  for  several  hours,  when 
the  Indians  were  driven  several  miles  in  confusion,  a  great  many  being 
killed  and  wounded  in  the  retreat,  though  the  extent  of  their  losses 
could  not  be  ascertained.  Eleven  dead  Indians  were  found  upon  the 
field.  The  casualties  to  the  troops  were  nine  men  killed,  and  fifteen 
wounded  of  the  3d  Cavalry,  two  men  wounded  of  the  2d  Cavalry,  and 
three  men  of  the  4th  Infantry  wounded,  besides  Captain  G.  V.  Henry, 
3d  Cavalry,  severely  wounded.  The  scene  of  the  attack  was  at  the 
mouth  of  a  deep  and  rocky  caiion  with  steep,  timbered  sides,  so  at  night 
fall,  encumbered  with  wounded  and  the  troops  without  anything  but 
what  each  man  carried  for  himself,  General  Crook  deemed  it  best  to 
return  to  his  supply  camp,  to  await  reinforcements  and  supplies,  not  con 
sidering  it  advisable  to  make  another  forward  movement  until  additional 
troops  reached  him.  From  the  strength  of  the  hostiles  who" boldly  attacked 
this  large  column,  it  now  became  apparent  that  not  only  Crazy  Horse 
and  his  small  band  had  to  be  fought,  but  that  the  hostiles  had  been 
reinforced  by  large  numbers  of  warriors  from  the  agencies  along  the  Mis 
souri  and  from  the  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  Agencies,  located  near 
the  boundary  line  between  Dakota  and  Nebraska;  the  Indian  Agents, 
if  aware  of  them,  having  failed  to  inform  the  military  of  these  wholesale 
departures.  Such  a  movement  from  these  agencies  had  been  feared  and 
in  May  authority  had  been  asked  allowing  the  military  to  exercise 
supervising  control  over  these  agencies,  so  as  to  keep  in  all  who  were 
present  and  keep  out  those  who  were  then  away  and  hostile,  but  this 
was  not  granted. 

Simultaneously  with  these  operations  in  the  Department  of  the 
Platte,  General  Terry  had  concentrated  at  Fort  A.  Lincoln  the  entire 
7th  Cavalry,  three  Gatling  guns,  and  six  companies  of  infantry.  On 
May  17th,  he  marched  from  that  post  with  his  column,  numbering  about 
nine  hundred  men,  for  the  mouth  of  Powder  River,  where  he  established 
his  supply  camp  on  the  7th  of  June.  From  this  point  Major  Reno,  with 
six  troops  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  scouted  up  the  Powder  River  to  its  forks, 
across  the  country  to  the  Rosebud  and  down  the  last  named  stream  to 
its  mouth.  At  the  same  time  General  Terry  moved  with  his  main  force 
up  the  south  bank  of  the  Yellowstone  River  and  formed  a  junction  with 
a  column  under  Colonel  John  Gibbon,  consisting  of  four  troops  of  the 
2d  Cavalry  and  six  companies  of  the  7th  Infantry,  which  had  marched 
eastward  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Yellowstone  from  Fort  Ellis,  Mon 
tana.  During  Major  Reno's  scout,  a  large  Indian  trail  was  discovered 
along  the  Rosebud,  but  as  Reno's  orders  did  not  contemplate  an  attack 
with  his  small  force,  the  trail  was  only  followed  a  sufficient  distance  to 
definitely  locate  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Little  Big  Horn  River, 
after  which  Reno  returned  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rosebud. 

General  Terry  was  now  satisfied  as  to  the  location  of  the  Indians,  and 


61 

at  a  conference  between  himself,  Colonels  Gibbon  and  Ouster,  on  June 
21st,  he  communicated  the  following  plan  of  operations  :  Gibbon's  col 
umn  was  to  cross  the  Yellowstone,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn, 
march  for  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Big  Horn  and  thence  up  the  latter, 
with  the  understanding  that  it  would  arrive  at  the  last  named  point  by 
June  26th  :  Ouster,  with  the  whole  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  should  proceed 
up  the  Rosebud  until  he  ascertained  the  direction  taken  by  the  trail 
found  by  Reno;  if  this  led  to  the  Little  Big  Horn,  it  should  not  be  fol 
lowed,  but  Ouster  should  keep  still  further  to  the  south,  before  turning 
toward  that  river,  in  order  to  intercept  the  Indians,  should  they  attempt 
to  slip  between  him  and  the  mountains,  and  also  in  order,  by  a  longer 
march,  to  give  time  for  Colonel  Gibbon's  column  to  come  up. 

This  plan  was  founded  upon  the  belief  that,  at  some  point  on  the 
Little  Big  Horn,  a  body  of  hostiles  would  be  found,  though  it  was  im 
possible  to  arrange  movements  in  perfect  concert,  as  might  be  done  were 
there  a  known  fixed  objective  point.  It  was  believed  impracticable  to 
unite  both  Gibbon's  and  Ouster's  forces,  because  more  than  half  of  those 
of  Gibbon  were  infantry,  who  could  not  keep  up  with  the  rapid  move 
ment  of  cavalry;  whilst  taking  away  the  mounted  troops  from  Gibbon,  to 
unite  with  those  of  Ouster,  would  leave  Gibbon's  infantry  too  weak  a 
force  to  act  independently. 

Under  directions,  then,  to  carry,  out  his  part  of  the  foregoing  plan, 
to  also  examine  the  upper  part  of  Tullock's  Fork  and  endeavor  to  send  a 
scout  through  with  the  information  thus  obtained,  to  Gibbon's  column, 
which  was  to  examine  the  lower-  part  of  that  fork,  Ouster  started  up  the 
Rosebud  on  June  22d,  and  Gibbon's  command,  personally  accompanied 
by  General  Terry,  moved  the  same  day  for  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn. 
A  supply  steamer  was  to  push  up  the  Big  Horn  as  far  as  the  forks,  if 
found  navigable  for  that  distance,  and  Custer,  at  the  expiration  of  the 
time  for  which  his  troops  were  rationed,  was  to  report  to  General  Terry 
there,  unless  in  the  meantime  other  orders  should  be  received. 

In  accordance  with  this  plan,  all  of  Gibbon's  column  reached  and 
crossed  Tullock's  Creek,  on  the  afternoon  of  June  24th. 

On  the  afternoon  of  June  22d,  Ouster's  column  marched  up  the  Rose 
bud  twelve  miles  and  there  encamped.  The  next  day,  June  23d,  he 
continued  up  the  Rosebud  thirty-three  miles,  passing  a  heavy  lodge  pole 
trail,  though  not  very  fresh.  June  24th,  the  advance  was  continued  up 
the  Rosebud,  the  trail  and  signs  constantly  growing  fresher,  until  the 
column  had  marched  twenty-eight  miles,  when  camp  was  made.  At 
eleven  o'clock  that  night,  the  column  was  again  put  in  motion,  turning 
from  the  Rosebud  to  the  right  up  one  of  its  branches  which  headed  near 
the  summit  of  the  "  divide  "  between  the  Rosebud  and  the  Little  Big 
Horn.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  June  25th,  the  column 
halted  for  about  three  hours,  made  coffee  and  then  resumed  the  march, 


62 

crossed  the  divide,  and  by  eight  o'clock  were  in  the  valley  of  one  of  the 
branches  of  the  Little  Big  Horn.  By  this  time  Indians  had  been  seen, 
and  as  it  was  certain  they  could  not  now  be  surprised,  it  was  determined 
to  attack  them. 

Custer  took  personal  command  of  Troops  "  C,"  "  E,"  "F,"  "I,"  and 
"  L  "  ;  Major  Reno  was  given  Troops  "A,"  "G,"  and  "  M  "  ;  Captain 
Benteen,  Troops  "  H,"  "  D,"  and  "  K  "  ;  Captain  McDougall  with  Troop 
"B,"  acted  as  guard  to  the  pack  train. 

The  valley  of  the  creek  was  followed  towards  the  Little  Big  Horn, 
Custer  on  the  right  of  the  creek,  Reno  on  the  left  of  it,  Benteen  off  still 
further  to  the  left  and  not  in  sight.  About  eleven  o'clock  Reno's  troops 
crossed  the  creek  to  Custer's  column  and  remained  with  them  until  about 
half-past  twelve  o'clock,  when  it  was  reported  that  the  village  was  only 
two  miles  ahead  and  running  away. 

Reno  was  now  directed  to  move  forward,  at  as  rapid  a  gait  as  he 
thought  prudent,  and  to  charge,  with  the  understanding  Custer  would 
support  him.  The  troops  under  Reno  moved  at  a  fast  trot  for  about  two 
miles,  when  they  came  to  the  river,  crossed  it,  halted  a  few  minutes  to 
collect  the  men  and  then  deployed.  A  charge  was  made  down  the  river, 
driving  the  Indians  rapidly  for  about  two  miles  and  a  half,  until  near  the 
village  which  was  still  there.  Not  seeing  anything,  however,  of  the  sub 
divisions  under  Custer  and  Benteen,  and  the  Indians  swarming  upon  him 
from  all  directions,  Reno  took  position,  dismounted,  in  the  edge  of  some 
timber  which  afforded  shelter  for  the  horses  of  his  command,  continuing 
the  fight  on  foot  until  it  became  apparent  he  would  soon  be  overcome  by 
the  superior  numbers  of  the  Indians.  He  then  mounted  his  troops,  charged 
through  the  Indians,  re-crossed  the  river  and  gained  the  bluffs  upon  the 
opposite  side.  In  this  charge,  First  Lieutenant  Donald  Mclntosh  and 
Second  Lieutenant  Benjamin  H.  Hodgson,  7th  Cavalry,  with  Acting 
Assistant  Surgeon  J.  M.  DeWolf,  were  killed. 

Reno's  force  succeeded  in  reaching  the  top  of  the  bluff,  but  with  a 
loss  of  three  officers  and  twenty-nine  enlisted  men  killed,  and  seven  men 
wounded.  Almost  at  the  same  time  Reno's  troops  reached  these  bluffs, 
Benteen's  battalion  came  up  and  a  little  later,  the  pack  train,  with 
McDougall's  troop  escorting  it.  These  three  detachments  were  all 
united  under  Reno's  command  and  numbered  about  three  hundred  and 
eighty-one  men,  in  addition  to  their  officers. 

Meanwhile  nothing  had  been  heard  from  Custer,  so  the  re-united 
detachments  under  Reno  moved  down  the  river,  keeping  along  the  bluffs 
on  the  opposite  side  from  the  village.  Firing  had  been  heard  from  that 
direction,  but  after  moving  to  the  highest  point  without  seeing  or  hear 
ing  anything  of  Custer,  Reno  sent  Captain  Weir  with  his  troop  to  try  to 
open  communication  with  the  former.  Weir  soon  sent  back  word  that  he 
could  go  no  further  and  that  the  Indians  were  getting  around  him,  at  the 


63 

same  time  keeping  up  a  heavy  fire  from  his  skirmish  line.  Reno  then 
turned  everything  back  to  the  first  position  he  had  taken  on  the  bluff, 
which  seemed  the  best  for  a  defence,  had  the  horses  and  mules  driven 
into  a  depression,  put  his  men,  dismounted,  on  the  crests  of  the  hills 
making  the  depression,  and  had  hardly  completed  these  dispositions  when 
the  Indians  attacked  him  furiously. 

This  was  now  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  the  ground  was 
held  with  a  further  loss  of  eighteen  killed  and  forty-six  wounded,  until 
the  attack  ceased  about  nine  o'clock  at  night. 

By  this  time  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  the  enemy  rendered  it 
improbable  that  the  troops  under  Ouster  could  undertake  to  rejoin  those 
with  Reno,  so  the  latter  began  to  dig  rifle-pits,  barricaded  with  dead 
horses  and  mules  and  boxes  from  the  packs,  to  prepare  for  any  further 
attack  which  might  be  made  the  next  day.  All  night  long  the  men  kept 
working,  while  the  Indians  were  holding  a  scalp  dance,  within  their  hear 
ing,  in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Horn  below. 

About  half-past  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  of  June  26th,  a  most 
terrific  rifle-fire  was  opened  upon  Reno's  position  and,  as  daylight 
increased,  hordes  of  Indians  were  seen  taking  station  upon  high  points 
completely  surrounding  the  troops,  so  that  men  were  struck  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  lines  from  where  the  shots  were  fired.  The  fire  did  not 
slacken  until  half-past  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  Indians 
made  a  desperate  charge  upon  the  line  held  by  Troops  "  H,"  and  "  M," 
coming  to  such -close  quarters  as  to  touch  with  a  "  coup-stick,"  a  man 
lying  dead  within  the  lines.  This  onslaught  was  repulsed  by  a  charge 
from  the  line  assaulted,  led  by  Colonel  Benteen. 

The  Indians  also  charged  close  enough  to  send  their  arrows'  into  the 
line  held  by  Troops  "  D,"  and  "  K,"  but  they  were  driven  back  by  a 
counter-charge  of  those  troops,  accompanied  in  person  by  Reno. 

There  were  now  many  wounded  and  the  question  of  obtaining  water 
was  a  vital  one,  for  the  troops  had  been  without  any  from  six  o'clock  the 
previous  evening,  a  period  of  about  sixteen  hours.  A  skirmish  line  was 
formed  under  Benteen,  to  protect  the  descent  of  volunteers  down  the 
hill  in  front  of  the  position  to  reach  the  water.  A  little  was  obtained  in 
canteens,  but  many  of  the  men  were  struck  in  securing  the  precious 
fluid. 

The  fury  of  the  attack  was  now  over  and  the  Indians  were  seen 
going  off  in  parties  to  the  village.  Two  solutions  occurred,  either  that 
the  Indians  were  going  for  something  to  eat  and  more  ammunition,  as 
they  had  been  shooting  arrows,  or  else  that -Ouster  was  coming.  Advan 
tage  was  taken  of  this  lull  to  rush  down  to  the  stream  and  fill  all  vessels 
possible  with  water,  but  the  Indians  continued  to  withdraw  and  firing 
ceased,  excepting  occasional  shots  from  sharp-shooters  sent  to  annoy  the 
soldiers  near  the  water.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  grass 


64 

in  the  bottom  was  extensively  fired  by  the  Indians,  and  behind  the 
dense  smoke  thus  created,  the  Indian  village  began  to  move  away. 

Between  six  and  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  village  came  out 
from  behind  this  cloud  of  smoke  and  dust,  the  troops  obtaining  a  full 
view  of  the  cavalcade,  as  it  filed  away  in  the  direction  of  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains,  moving  in  almost  full  military  order. 

All  thoughts  were  now  turned  again  towards  Ouster,  of  whom  nothing 
had  been  seen  or  heard  since  he  gave  his  orders  on  the  previous  day  for 
the  first  advance  by  the  detachments  under  Reno  and  Benteen,  and 
which  orders  contemplated  the  support  of  these  by  the  force  retained 
under  Ouster's  personal  command.  No  one  dreamed  of  the  real  explana 
tion  of  Ouster's  absence,  and  the  impression  was  that  this  heavy  force  of 
Indians  had  gotten  between  him  and  the  rest,  forcing  him  towards  the 
mouth  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  from  which  direction  the  column  under 
Gibbon,  with  General  Terry,  was  expected. 

During  the  night  of  June  26th,  the  troops  under  Reno  changed  posi 
tion  so  as  to  better  secure  a  supply  of  water  and  to  prepare  against 
another  assault,  should  the  warriors  return  in  strong  force,  but  early  in 
the  morning  of  the  27th,  while  preparing  to  resist  any  attack  which 
might  be  attempted,  the  dust  of  a  moving  column  was  seen  approaching 
in  the  distance.  Soon  it  was  discovered  to  be  troops  who  where  coming 
and  in  a  little  while  a  scout  arrived  with  a  note  from  General  Terry  to 
Ouster,  saying  that  some  Crow  scouts  had  come  to  camp  stating  that 
Ouster  had  been  whipped,  but  that  their  story  was  not  believed.  About 
half-past  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  General  Terry  rode  into  Reno's  lines 
and  the  fate  of  Ouster  was  ascertained. 

Precisely  what  was  done  by  Ouster's  immediate  command,  subsequent 
to  the  moment  when  the  rest  of  the  regiment  last  saw  them  alive,  has 
remained  partly  a  matter  of  conjecture,  no  officer  or  soldier  who  rode 
with  him  into  the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  having  lived  to  tell  the 
tale.  The  only  real  evidence  of  how  they  came  to  meet  their  fate,  was 
the  testimony  of  the  field  where  it  overtook  them.  What  was  read  upon 
the  ground,  as  from  an  open  page,  was  described  in  the  official  report  of 
General  Terry  who  came  up  -with  Gibbon's  column. 

Ouster's  trail,  from  the  point  where  Reno  crossed  the  stream,  passed 
along  and  in  rear  of  the  crest  of  the  bluffs  on  the  right  bank,  for  nearly 
or  quite  three  miles.  Then  it  came  down  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  but 
at  once  diverged  from  it  again,  as  though  Ouster  had  unsuccessfully 
attempted  to  cross ;  then  turning  upon  itself  and  almost  completing  a 
circle,  the  trail  ceased.  It  was  marked  by  the  remains  of  officers  and 
men  and  the  bodies  of  horses,  some  of  them  dotted  along  the  path,  others 
heaped  in  ravines  and  upon  knolls  where  halts  appeared  to  have  been 
made.  There  was  abundant  evidence  that  a  gallant  resistance  had  been 


65 

offered  by  Ouster's  troops,  but  that  they  were  beset  on  all  sides  by  over 
powering  numbers. 

The  officers  known  to  be  killed  were  General  Ouster,  Captains 
Keogh,  Yates  and  Ouster,  Lieutenants  Oooke,  Smith,  Mclntosh,  Calhoun, 
Porter,  Hodgson,  Sturgis  and  Reilly,  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  Lieutenant 
Crittenden  of  the  20th  Infantry,  and  Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  DeWolf; 
Lieutenant  Harrington  of  the  cavalry  and  Assistant  Surgeon  Lord  were 
missing.  Mr.  Boston  Custer,  a  brother,  and  Mr.  Reed,  a  nephew  of  Gen 
eral  Ouster,  were  with  him  and  were  killed.  Captain  Benteen  and 
Lieutenant  Varnum  of  the  cavalry  and  fifty-one  men  were  wounded. 

Following  up  the  movements  of  Gibbon's  column  from  the  Yellow 
stone,  starting  from  Tullock's  Creek  soon  after  five  o'clock  on  the  morn 
ing  of  June  25th,  the  infantry  of  Gibbon's  command  made  a  march  of 
twenty-two  miles  over  a  most  difficult  country.  In  order  that  scouts 
might  be  sent  into  the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  Gibbon's  cavalry, 
with  the  battery,  was  then  pushed  on  thirteen  or  fourteen  miles  further, 
not  camping  until  midnight.  Scouts  were  sent  out  at  half-past  four  in 
the  morning  of  June  26th;  they  soon  discovered  three  Indians  who  were 
at  first  supposed  to  be  Sioux,  but  when  overtaken  they  proved  to  be  Crows 
who  had  been  with  General  Custer.  They  brought  to  General  Terry  the 
first  intelligence  of  the  battle.  Their  story  was  not  credited;  it  was  sup 
posed  that  some  fighting,  perhaps  severe  fighting,  had  taken  place,  but 
it  was  not  believed  that  disaster  could  have  overtaken  so  large  a  force 
as  twelve  companies  of  cavalry.  The  infantry  which  had  broken  camp 
very  early,  soon  came  up  and  the  whole  column  entered  and  moved  up 
the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn. 

During  the  afternoon  efforts  were  made  to  send  scouts  through  to 
what  was  supposed  to  be  Ouster's  position,  to  obtain  information  of  the 
condition  of  affairs,  but  those  who  were  sent  out  were  driven  back  by 
parties  of  Indians  who,  in  increasing  numbers,  were  seen  hovering  in 
front  of  Gibbon's  column.  At  twenty  minutes  before  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  the  infantry  had  marched  between  twenty-nine  and  thirty 
miles,  the  men  were  very  weary  and  daylight  was  fading.  The  column 
was  therefore  halted  for  the  night  at  a  point  about  eleven  miles  in  a 
straight  line  above  the  mouth  of  the  stream. 

On  the  morning  of  June  27th  the  advance  was  resumed  and,  after  a 
march  of  nine  miles,  the  intrenched  position  was  reached,  the  with 
drawal  of  the  Indians  from  around  Reno's  command  and  from  the  valley 
of  the  '  Little  Big  Horn  being  undoubtedly  caused  by  the  approach  of 
Gibbon's  troops. 

Major  Reno  and  Captain  Benteen,  both  of  whom  were  officers  of 
experience,  accustomed  to  seeing  large  bodies  of  mounted  men,  esti 
mated  the  number  of  Indians  engaged  at  not  less  than  twenty-five  hun 
dred;  other  officers  thought  that  the  number  was  greater  than  this;  the 


66 

village  in  the  valley  was  about  three  miles  in  length  and  almost  a  mile 
in  width.  Besides  the  regular  lodges  quantities  of  temporary  brushwood 
structures  were  found,  indicating  that  many  besides  the  proper  inhabit 
ants  of  the  village  had  gathered  there. 

Crazy  Horse  and  Sitting  Bull,  with  their  respective  adherents,  were 
both  at  the  battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  and  for  a  time,  Sitting  Bull 
was  credited  with  an  importance  which  did  not  belong  to  him,  his 
own  direct  following  being  comparatively  small.  Afterwards  a  separa 
tion  took  place  between  Crazy  Horse  and  Sitting  Bull,  and  the  latter 
was,  on  several  occasions,  fought  by  the  troops  north  of  the  Yellowstone. 

During  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  June  27th,  the  wounded  were 
moved  to  the  camp  of  General  Terry,  and  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning 
on  the  28frh,  Reno's  command  proceeded  to  the  battle-ground  of  Custer 
and  buried  two  hundred  and  four  bodies  there. 

The  28th  of  June  was  passed  in  making  horse  and  hand  litters  for 
the  wounded,  so  as  to  move  them  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Big  Horn,  a  transfer  which  occupied  several  days,  for  the  marches  had 
to  be  short.  The  same  day  a  reconnoissance  was  made  by  Captain  Ball 
of  the  2d  Cavalry,  along  the  trail  of  the  Indians  when  they  left  the  val 
ley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn.  He  reported  that  they  divided  into  two  par 
ties,  one  of  which  kept  the  valley  of  Long  Fork,  making,  he  thought  for 
the  Big  Horn  Mountains  ;  the  other  turned  more  to  the  eastward.  He 
also  discovered  leading  into  the  valley,  a  very  heavy  trail,  not  more  than 
five  days  old.  This  was  entirely  distinct  from  the  one  Custer  had  fol 
lowed  and  indicated  that  at  least  two  bands  had  united  just  before  the 
battle. 

In  the  evening  of  June  28th  General  Terry  began  moving  the 
wounded  but  was  able  to  proceed  only  four  miles,  on  account  of  the 
insufficient  number  of  litters.  The  29th  was  spent  in  making  a  full  sup 
ply  of  them,  and  in  the  evening  of  that  day  the  column  started  again, 
the  wounded  being  placed  on  the  steamer  "Far  West,"  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Little  Big  Horn,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  June  30th,  reach 
ing  the  depot  on  the  Yellowstone  the  same  afternoon.  The  steamer  then 
proceeded  with  them  to  Fort  A.  Lincoln,  the  main  command  reaching 
the  Yellowstone  and  camping  on  the  bank  of  the  river  on  the  2d  of  July. 

Attempts  were  immediately  made  by  General  Terry  to  communi 
cate  with  General  Crook,  who  was  somewhere  in  that  part  of  the  coun 
try,  in  order  that  concert  of  action  might  be  established  between  the 
two  expeditions.  Two  attempts  failed,  but  a  third  succeeded  ;  three 
private  soldiers  of  the  7th  Infantry,  James  Bell,  William  Evans  and 
Benjamin  H.  Stewart,  carried  a  dispatch  through  to  General  Crook  arid 
two  of  them  returned  with  his  reply. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  this  disaster  was  received  at  Division  Head 
quarters,  additional  troops  were  at  once  put  in  motion  for  General 


07 

Terry's  command,  as  had  already  been  done  for  that  of  General  Crook, 
but  these  re-inforcements  had  to  be  collected  from  various  stations  on 
the  frontier,  some  of  them  very  remote  from  railroads,  and  much  time 
was  consumed  before  reaching  their  destinations. 

During  this  period,  the  bands  which  had  broken  off  from  the  main 
body  of  hostiles,  and  the  young  warriors  from  the  agencies,  continued 
their  old  well-known  methods  of  warfare,  stealing  horses  on  the  frontier 
and  killing  small  parties  of  citizens,  while  the  constant  communications 
of  the  hostiles  with  Indians  at  the  agencies,  macle  it  evident  that  sup 
plies  of  food  and  ammunition  were  still  being  drawn  from  those  places. 

To  prevent  this,  it  had  been  deemed  necessary  that  the  military  should 
control  the  agencies,  and  on  May  #9th  the  Interior  Department  had  been 
requested  to  so  co-operate  with  the  military  as  to  enable  the*  latter  to 
carry  out  the  policy  of  arresting,  disarming  and  dismounting  such  of  the 
hostiles  as  made  their  appearance  at  these  agencies.  On  July  18th  this 
request  was  again  earnestly  renewed  by  Lieutenant  General  Sheridan, 
and  on  the  22d  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior  authorized  the 
military  to  assume  control*  of  all  the  agencies  in  the  Sioux  country,  but 
it  was  too  late  ;  extensive  trading  with  the  enemy  had  been  going  on, 
and  large  supplies  of  ammunition  had  thus  been  obtained  by  the  hostiles 
to  carry  on  the  war.  However,  the  commanding  officers  at  Camps  Robin 
son  and  Sheridan  were  at  once  ordered  to  take  possession  at  Red  Cloud's 
and  Spotted  Tail's  Agencies,  and  Colonel  Mackenzie,  4th  Cavalry,  was 
sent  to  Red  Cloud  Agency,  with  a  force  to  arrest  any  hostiles  who 
came  in  and  to  count  and  enroll  the  Indians.  A  careful  count  was  made 
by  September  1st,  and  it  was  found  that  those  at  Red  Cloud  numbered 
only  four  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty,  nearly  one  half  less  than 
had  been  reported  by  the  Agent.  The  count  at  Spotted  Tail's  Agency 
developed  less  than  five  thousand,  whereas  nearly  double  that  number 
were  presumed  to  be  present  at  their  agency  and  were  ostensibly  issued  to* 
Troops  were  also  ,sent  to  the  Missouri  River  Agencies  to  accomplish 
these  same  purposes,  and  the  number  of  Indians  actually  present  was 
found  to  be  from  one-third  to  one-half  less  than  reported  present  for 
issues.  It  was  then  easy  to  see  where  the  small  bands  originally  out, 
and  upon  whom  the  war  was  being  waged,  obtained  their  strength  and 
supplies. 

At  last,  on  July  22d  Congress  having  passed  a  bill  authorizing  the 
construction  of  the  two  posts  in  the  Yellowstone  country,  recommended 
long  before  this  war  began,  preparations  were  made  to  begin  them  at 
once  and  all  the  material  was  prepared  as  rapidly  as  possible,  but  the 
season  had  now  become  so  far  advanced  that  it  was  found  impracticable 
to  get  the  supplies  up  the  Yellowstone  River,  on  account  of  low  water, 
so  the  building  of  the  posts  had  to  be  deferred  until  the  following  spring. 
However,  a  temporary  cantonment  was  ordered  to  be  immediately  con- 


68 

structed  at  the  mouth  of  Tongue  River,  the  place  selected  for  one  of  the 
permanent  posts,  (now  Fort  Keogh,)  and  a  strong  garrison,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Miles,  oth  Infantry,  was  detailed  to  occupy  it. 

July  7th,  Lieutenant  F.  W.  Sibley,  2d  Cavalry,  commanding  a  detach 
ment  of  twenty-five  men,  with  several  citizens,  was  sent  by  General 
Crook  to  make  a  reconnoissance,  and  when  near  where  the  Little  Big 
Horn  River  emerges  from  the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  encountered  a  very 
large  force  of  Indians  who  nearly  succeeded  in  capturing  the  entire 
detachment.  By  great  coolness,  abandoning  all  their  horses,  after  a  very 
gallant  fight,  Lieutenant  Sibley's  party  succeeded  in  escaping  from  the 
Indians  and  on  foot  made  their  way  over  a  most  broken  country  to  Gen 
eral  Crook's  camp,  where  they  arrived  safely,  in  an  almost  exhausted 
condition. 

July  17th,  information  having  been  received  of  a  movement  of  the 
Indians  at  Red  Cloud's  Agency  to  join  the  hostiles  north  of  them,  Col 
onel  Merritt  with  Troops  "A,"  "B,"  "D,"  "G,"  "I,"  "K,"  and  "M," 
5th  Cavalry,  by  a  rapid  march  succeeded  in  intercepting  a  band  of  about 
eight  hundred  Indians  near  Hat  Creek,  Wyoming,  surprised  them,  killed 
one  Indian,  wounded  one  and  chased  the  entire  band  back  to  the  Red 
Cloud  Agency. 

July  30th,  Lieutenant  J.  L.  Bullis,  24th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment 
of  forty  men,  struck  a  camp  of  hostile  Lipans  and  Kickapoos,  near 
Saragossa,  Mexico,  killed  ten  and  captured  four  Indians  with  about  one 
hundred  horses. 

August  #d,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rosebud,  Montana,  Major  O.  H. 
Moore  with  four  officers  aud  two  companies  of  the  6th  Infantry  and  one 
company  of  the  17th  Infantry,  had  a  fight  in  which  one  white  scout  and 
one  Indian  wrere  killed. 

August  14th,  a  steamer  carrying  troops  and  government  supplies,  was 
fired  upon  by  Indians  near  Fort  Buford,  Dakota;  the  troops  returned  the 
fire  and  the  Indians  fled:  no  casualties  occurred. 

August  23d,  Lieutenant  Bronson,  with  Company  "  G,"  6th  Infantry, 
had  a  fight  with  Indians  on  the  Yellowstone  River,  Montana:  one  enlisted 
man  was  wounded. 

General  Crook  having  received  re-inforcements  and  having  learned 
that  the  hostiles  had  now  moved  eastward  from  the  Big  Horn  Mountains, 
marched  with  his  column,  on  the  5th  of  August,  down  the  Tongue  River 
in  pursuit.  He  followed  the  trail  across  Powder  River  and  some  distance 
east,  when  it  separated  and  became  indistinct,  part  of  it  going  towards 
the  Black  Hills  and  the  agencies.  He  then  marched  his  command  south 
ward,  in  the  direction  of  the  Black  Hills,  and  on 

September  9th,  a  battalion  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men 
of  the  3d  Cavalry,  under  Captain  Anson  Mills,  after  a  very  trying  night- 
march,  succeeded  at  day-break  in  surprising  the  village  of  "American 


69 

Horse,"  at  Slim  Buttes,  Dakota,  capturing  the  entire  village  of  about 
thirty-seven  lodges,  with  quantities  of  supplies,  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  ponies.  Among  the  articles  taken 
from  this  village,  were  a  guidon  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  a  pair  of  gloves 
marked  with  the  name  of  Colonel  Keogh,  7th  Cavalry,  who  was  killed 
with  Caster,  and  many  other  things  which  were  recognized  as  belonging 
to  that  command.  The  battalion  of  Captain  Mills  suffered  a  loss  of  one 
enlisted  man  killed,  six  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  A.  H.  Von  Luettwitz, 
3d  Cavalry,  so  seriously  wounded  in  the  leg  as  to  require  amputation. 
The  loss  of  the  Indians  was  "American  Horse,"  mortally  wounded, 
four  Indians  killed  and  about  a  dozen  captured.  The  village  of  Crazy 
Horse  was  only  a  short  distance  away,  and  after  the  first  flight  from 
camp,  the  Indians  returned  in  increased  numbers  and  attacked  Mills' 
command,  but  the  main  column  of  General  Crook  having  arrived,  the 
Indians  were  worsted  in  several  encounters  which  took  place,  a  force 
under  Lieutenant  Colonel  W.  B.  Royall,  3d  Cavalry,  consisting  of 
battalions  of  the  2d  and  3d  Cavalry,  having  one  man  wounded.  The 
Indians  continued  hovering  around  the  command,  taking  positions  in 
ravines  from  which  they  had  to  be  dislodged,  with  much  patience  and 
exposure  to  the  troops.  In  the  several  fights  which  occurred,  the  5th 
Cavalry,  under  General  Carr,  lost  one  enlisted  man  and  one  white  scout 
killed,  and  five  enlisted  men  wounded,  the  loss  inflicted  by  his  force  upon 
the  Indians  being  estimated  at  seven  or  eight  killed.  Major  Chambers, 
4th  Infantry,  with  the  infantry  battalion,  consisting  of  three  companies 
of  the  4th  Infantry,  three  of  the  9th  Infantry  and  four  of  the  14th  Infan 
try,  drove  off  from  the  bluffs  parties  of  Indians  who  were  firing  into  the 
camp  of  the  command,  one  enlisted  man  of  the  9th  Infantry  being 
severely  wounded  in  these  operations. 

On  September  l#th,  Major  Upham,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  men 
of  the  5th  Cavalry,  was  sent  by  General  Crook  to  follow  a  trail  leading 
down  Owl  Creek,  but  returned  on  the  14th  without  having  found  any 
village.  One  private  soldier  of  his  command  was  killed  by  Indians  on 
the  Belle  Fourche. 

During  the  later  operations  of  General  Crook's  column,  the  troops, 
being  without  tents,  suffered  not  only  from  the  incessant  cold  rains  pre 
vailing,  but  were  wholly  without  regular  food.  Having  met  with  General 
Terry's  column,  the  latter  had  shared  its  supplies  with  General  Crook, 
but  these  became  exhausted  and  for  days  General  Crook's  troops  were 
obliged  to  subsist  principally  upon  horse  flesh.  The  animals  of  the  cav 
alry  were  so  worn  out  by  hard  marching,  want  of  forage  and  exposure 
to  constant  storms,  that  General  Crook's  column  moved  to  Custer  City 
and  there  obtained  supplies. 

September  15th,  Captain  Henry  Carroll,  with  Troop  "  F,"  9th  Cav 
alry,  had  a  fight  with  a  party  of  Indians  in  the  Florida  Mountains,  New 


70 

Mexico,  killed  one  Indian  and  captured   eleven  head  of  stock  :  one  en 
listed  man  was  wounded. 

October  10th,  Captain  C.  W.  Miner,  22d  Infantry,  with  Companies 
"H,"uG,"and  "  K,"  22d  Infantry,  and  Company  «  C,"  17th  Infantry, 
escorting  a  train  of  ninety-four  wagons,  started  from  the  camp  at  mouth 
of  Glendive  Creek,  Montana,  for  the  cantonment  at  mouth  of  Tongue 
River.  The  train  was  attacked  in  its  camp  that  night,  by  Indians  esti 
mated  at  from  four  to  six  hundred,  several  of  the  animals  wounded  and 
forty-seven  mules  stampeded  and  captured.  In  this  crippled  condition 
the  train  attempted  to  reach  Clear  Creek,  eight  miles  further  on,  being 
constantly  harassed  by  the  hostiles  in  large  force,  but  finding  it  impos 
sible  to  continue,  returned  to  Glendive  Creek  for  reinforcements. 

The  teamsters  having  become  too  demoralized  to  proceed,  forty-one 
of  them  were  discharged  and  soldiers  were  detailed  to  drive.  The 
escort,  now  consisting  of  five  companies  of  infantry,  numbering  eleven 
officers  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  men,  under  command  of  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  E.  S.  Otis,  22d  Infantry,  again  attempted  to  carry  these 
much  needed  supplies  to  the  garrison  at  Tongue  River. 

October  15th,  on  Spring  Creek  the  Indians,  increased  to  an  estimated 
strength  of  from  seven  to  eight  hundred  warriors,  again  attacked  the 
train  which,  however,  formed  in  compact  lines,  pressed  on,  the  infantry 
escort  charging  the  Indians  repeatedly  and  driving  them  back,  while  the 
wagons  slowly  advanced.  Three  or  four  scouts  from  Colonel  Miles'  com 
mand  were  met  here,  having  been  attacked  by  Indians  and  one  of  their 
party  killed.  The  train  proceeded,  with  the  escort  skirmishing,  until 
Clear  Creek  was  reached,  the  point  from  which  Captain  Miner  had  pre 
viously  been  obliged  to  return.  Here  the  Indians  made  the  most  deter 
mined  attack,  firing  the  prairie  and  the  wagons  being  obliged  to  advance 
through  the  flames.  Compactly  arranged  in  four  lines,  the  wagons  pro 
ceeded,  the  entire  escort  being  engaged  in  alternately  charging  the 
Indians,  driving  them  back  and  then  regaining  the  moving  teams;  three 
or  four  of  the  escort  were  wounded  and  a  considerable  number  of  Indian 
saddles  emptied. 

On  October  16th,  whilst  advancing,  an  Indian  runner  approached  and 
left  upon  a  hill  the  following  communication  : 

"YELLOWSTONE  : 

I  want  to  know  what  you  are  doing  traveling  on  this  road.  You 
scare  all  the  buffalo  away.  I  want  to  hunt  in  this  place.  I  want  you  to 
turn  back  from  here.  If  you  don't  I  will  fight  you  again.  I  want  you 
to  leave  what  you  have  got  here  and  turn  back  from  here. 

I  am  your  friend, 

SITTING  BULL. 

I  mean  all  the  rations  you  have  got  and  some  powder.  Wish  you 
would  write  as  soon  as  you  can." 


71 

Colonel  Otis  sent  out  a  scout,  named  Jackson,  with  a  reply  to  Sitting 
Bull's  note,  stating  that  he  intended  to  take  the  train  through  to  Tongue 
River  and  would  be  pleased  to  accommodate  the  Indians  with  a  fight  at 
any  time. 

The  train  proceeded,  the  Indians  surrounding  it  and  keeping  up  firing 
at  long  range.  After  proceeding  a  short  distance,  two  Indians  appeared 
with  a  flag  of  truce  and  communication  was  again  opened  with  the  hostiles 
who  stated  they  were  hungry,  tired  of  the  war  and  wanted  to  make  peace. 
Sitting  Bull  wanted  to  meet  Colonel  Otis  outside  of  the  lines  of  the 
escort,  which  invitation,  however,  Colonel  Otis  declined,  though  pro 
fessing  a  willingness  to  meet  Sitting  Bull  inside  the  lines  of  the  troops. 
This  the  wary  savage  was  afraid  to  do,  but  sent  three  chiefs  to  represent 
him.  Colonel  Otis  made  them  a  present  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
of  hard  bread 'and  two  sides  of  bacon,  said  that  he  had  no  authority  to 
treat  with  them,  but  that  the  Indians  could  go  to  Tongue  River  and  there 
make  known  their  wishes  regarding  surrender.  The  train  moved  on  and 
the  Indians  fell  to  its  rear,  finally  disappearing  altogether. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  October  Colonel  Otis  met  Colonel  Miles, 
with  his  entire  regiment  who,  alarmed  for  safety  of  the  train,  had 
advanced  to  meet  it.  Colonel  Otis  succeeded  in  reaching  Tongue  River, 
delivered  his  supplies  and  returned  safely  with  his  wagons  to  Glendive, 
on  October  26th. 

Shortly  after  meeting  Colonel  Otis  and  learning  from  him  the  imme 
diate  situation,  Colonel  Miles,  with  the  entire  5th  Infantry,  started  after 
Sitting  Bull,  overtaking  him  near  Cedar  Creek,  Montana,  north  of  the 
Yellowstone.  Colonel  Miles  met  Sitting  Bull  between  the  lines  of  the 
troops  and  of  the  Indians,  the  latter  having  sent  a  flag  of  truce  to  Miles, 
desiring  to  communicate. 

Sitting  Bull  simply  desired  to  hunt  buffalo  and  trade  for  ammunition; 
he  would  agree  that  the  Indians  should  not  fire  on  the  soldiers,  if  unmo 
lested;  in  short,  he  wanted  simply  "an  old-fashioned  peace"  for  the 
winter.  He  was  informed  of  the  terms  of  the  government,  told  how  he 
could  have  peace  and  that  he  must  bring  in  his  tribe  to  near  the  camp  of 
the  troops.  The  interview  closed  unsatisfactorily  and  Colonel  Miles' 
column,  numbering  three  hundred  and  ninety-eight  rifles,  moved  and 
camped  -on  Cedar  Creek,  so  as  to  intercept,  more  easily,  the  movement  of 
the  Indians  which  was  northward,  Sitting  Bull  being  told  to  come  again 
next  day. 

Whilst  the  command  was  moving  north  between  the  Indian  camp  and 
the  Big  Dry  River,  the  Indians  again  appeared  and  desired  to  talk. 
Another  council  followed  between  the  lines,  October  21st,  Sitting  Bull 
and  a  number  of  principal  men  being  present.  Sitting  Bull  wanted 
peace,  if  he  could  have  it  upon  his  own  terms.  He  was  told  the  condi 
tions  of  the  government,  which  were  that  he  should  either  camp  his  peo- 


72 

pie  at  some  point  on  the  Yellowstone  River,  near  to  the  troops,  or  go 
into  some  agency  and  place  his  people  under  subjection  to  the  govern 
ment.  He  said  he  would  come  in  to  trade  for  ammunition,  but  wanted 
no  rations  or  annuities  and  desired  to  live  free,  as  an  Indian.  He  gave 
no  assurance  of  good  faith  and,  as  the  council  broke  up,  he  was  told  that 
a  non-acceptance  of  the  terms  of  the  government  would  be  considered  an 
act  of  hostility.  The  Indians  took  positions  instantly  for  a  fight  and  an 
engagement  followed,  the  Indians  being  driven  from  every  part  of  the 
field,  through  their  camp  ground,  down  Bad  Route  Creek  and  pursued 
forty-two  miles  to  the  south  side  of  the  Yellowstone.  In  their  retreat 
they  abandoned  tons  of  dried  meat,  quantities  of  lodge  poles,  camp  equip 
age,  ponies  and  broken  down  cavalry  horses.  Five  dead  warriors  were 
left  on  the  field,  besides  those  they  were  seen  to  carry  away.  Their  force 
was  estimated  at  upwards  of  one  thousand  warriors. 

On  October  27th,  over  four  hundred  lodges  of  Indians,  numbering 
about  two  thousand  men, 'women  and  children,  surrendered  to  Colonel 
Miles;  five  chiefs  giving  themselves  up  as  hostages  for  the  delivery  of 
men,  women,  children,  ponies,  arms  and  ammunition  at  the  agencies; 
Sitting  Bull  himself  escaped  northward  with  his  own  small  band,  and 
was  joined  later  by  "  Gall"  and  other  chiefs  with  their  followers.  Having 
returned  to  Tongue  River  Cantonment,  Colonel  Miles  organized  a  force 
numbering  four  hundred  and  thirty-four  rifles  and  moved  north  in  pur 
suit  of  Sitting  Bull,  but  the  trail  was  obliterated  by  the  snow,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Big  Dry  River.  A  band  of  one  hundred  and  nineteen 
lodges  under  "Iron  Dog"  crossed  the  Missouri  in  advance  of  the  com 
mand  and  dissolved  itself  in  the  Yanktonnais  camp,  Sitting  Bull  conti 
nuing  to  hover  about  the  neighborhood  of  the  Missouri  River  and  its 
branches,  for  some  time  afterwards. 

October  14th,  a  detachment  of  Troop  "K,"  2d  Cavalry  was  reported 
as  having  a  fight  on  Richard  Creek,  Wyoming,  one  soldier  being  killed. 

General  Crook,  having  learned  that  there  was  danger  of  a  considera 
ble  number  of  Indians  at  Red  Cloud  Agency  again  attempting  to  join  the 
hostiles,  directed  a  strong  force,  from  his  column,  to  proceed  to  that 
agency,  under  command  of  Colonel  Merritt,  5th  Cavalry,  for  the  purpose 
of  disarming  and  dismounting  the  bands  from  which  trouble  was  expected. 
Before  Colonel  Merritt  could  reach  there,  however,  affairs  had  'assumed 
such  a  threatening  aspect  that  it  was  determined  to  arrest  and  disarm  the 
Indians,  with  such  force  as  was  at  hand.  Accordingly  Colonel  Macken 
zie,  4th  Cavalry,  with  eight  troops  of  cavalry,  on 

October  22d  succeeded,  at  night,  in  surrounding  and  surprising  Red 
Cloud's  and  Red  Leaf's  bands,  so  that  when  daylight  dawned  on  the  23d, 
the  Indians  surrendered  without  firing  a  shot.  The  Indians,  numbering 
about  four  hundred  warriors,  were  at  once  disarmed  and,  followed  by 
their  families,  with  camp  equipage  and  property,  were  brought  into  the 


73 

agency,  where  they  were  released  and  put  into  camp.  About  seven  hun 
dred  ponies  were  captured,  together  with  all  the  arms  and  ammunition 
the  Indians  had  about  their  persons  and  in  the  lodges. 

General  Crook  then  had  a  council  with  Spotted  Tail  and,  satisfied  that 
the  latter  intended  to  be  loyal  to  the  government,  placed  this  Indian  in 
charge  of  all  the  Indians  at  both  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  Agencies, 
deposing  Red  Cloud,  the  conduct  of  whose  followers  had  given  evidence 
of  anything  but  proper  intentions.  These  Indians  were  the  same  who 
had  killed  a  large  part  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Phil  Kearney,  in  1866,  and 
who  had,  in  1874,  threatened  to  massacre  the  people  at  Red  Cloud 
Agency,  because  they  attempted  to  hoist  the  United  States  flag  over  it. 

The  troops  composing  what  had  been  known  as  the  "  Big  Horn  Expe 
dition,"  under  General  Crook,  having  been  distributed  to  their  stations 
for  the  winter,  another  column,  known  as  the  "Powder  River  Expedition," 
was  organized  and  left  Fort  Fetterman  November  15th,  1876.  It  con 
sisted  of  Troop  "  K,"  2d  Cavalry,  "  H,"  and  «  K,"  3d  Cavalry,  "  B,"  "  D," 
«E,"."F,"  and  "  M,"  4th  Cavalry  and  "  H,"  and  "L,"  5th  Cavalry,  the 
cavalry  being  all  commanded  by  Colonel  R.  S.  Mackenzie,  4th  Cavalry. 
The  infantry  and  artillery,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  R.  I. 
Dodge,  23d  Infantry,  consisted  of  Companies  "A,"  "  B,"  «  D,"  "F,"  "I," 
and  "K,"  9th  Infantry,  "D,"  and  "  G,"  14th  Infantry,  "C,"  "G,"  and 
«  I,"  23d  Infantry  and  "  C,"  "  F,"  «  H,"  and  "  K,"  4th  Artillery.  A  can 
tonment  was  established  near  old  Fort  Reno,  Wyoming,  and  the  cavalry 
was  sent  out,  under  Colonel  Mackenzie,  to  find  and  strike  a  large  village 
which  had  been  reported. 

At  noon  on  November  24th,  while  marching  toward  the  Sioux  Pass  of 
the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  Mackenzie's  Indian  scouts  reported  the  camp 
of  the  enemy  about  twenty  miles  distant,  near  the  north  fork  of  Powder 
River.  The  command  halted  till  sunset,  intending,  by  a  night  march,  to 
surprise  the  Indians  at  daybreak,  and  soon  after  that  hour  on  the  25th, 
almost  a  complete  surprise  was  effected.  The  only  practicable  approach 
to  the  village  was  at  the  lower  end  and  the  Indians  took  refuge  in  a  net 
work  of  very  deep  ravines  beyond  the  upper  end  of  the  camp,  leaving  on 
foot  and  taking  nothing  but  their  arms  with  them.  A  brisk  fight  for 
about  an  hour  ensued,  after  which  skirmishing  was  kept  up  until  night. 
The  village,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  lodges,  with 
their  contents,  was  entirely  destroyed  and  about  five  hundred  ponies  were 
captured.  The  bodies  of  twenty-five  dead  Indians  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  troops,  but  it  was  believed  a  much  heavier  loss  was  inflicted.  The 
casualties  to  the  troops  were  five  men  killed  and  twenty-five  wounded, 
besides  nineteen  horses  killed.  In  a  very  gallant  charge  upon  the 
Indians,  Lieutenant  John  A.  McKinney,  4th  Cavalry,  was  killed. 

The  severity  of  the  weather  was  intense,  and  being  so  encumbered  by 
his  wounded,  Mackenzie  rejoined  the  main  column  of  the  expedition 


74 

which  had  been  following  him,  all  returning  to  the  cantonment  near 
Fort  Reno.  The  thermometer  was  so  far  below  zero  that  further  active 
field  operations,  in  such  weather,  were  considered  impracticable  and  they 
were,  therefore,  suspended  for  the  winter. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  Department  of  Dakota,  the  operations  of  Colonel 
Miles  against  Sitting  Bull  and  his  confederates  were  continued.  On 
December  7th,  First  Lieutenant  F.  D.  Baldwin,  with  Companies  "  G," 
"H,"  and  "I,"  5th  Infantry,  numbering  one  hundred  officers  and  men, 
overtook  Sitting  Bull's  camp  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  lodges,  followed 
and  drove  it  south  of  the  Missouri,  near  the  mouth  of  Bark  Creek.  The 
Indians  resisted  Baldwin's  crossing  of  the  river,  for  a  short  time  and  then 
retreated  into  the  bad  lands.  On  December  18th,  this  same  force,  under 
Lieutenant  Baldwin,  surprised  Sitting  Bull's  band  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  lodges,  near  the  head  of  the  Red  water,  a  southern  affluent  of 
the  Missouri,  capturing  the  entire  camp  and  its  contents,  together  with 
about  sixty  horses,  ponies  and  mules.  •  The  Indians  escaped  with  little 
besides  what  they  had  upon  their  persons  and  scattered  southward  across 
the  Yellowstone. 


1877. 


The  large  cantonment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  River  having  been 
established,  from  this  point  as  a  base,  the  pursuit  of  the  remnants  of  the 
Sioux  and  Northern  Cheyennes  with  Sitting  Bull  and  Crazy  Horse,  was 
energetically  pressed  by  the  troops  under  Colonel  Miles.  The  low  state 
of  water  in  the  river,  now  gave  the  troops  on  the  Yellowstone  a  three-fold 
task  of  great  difficulty,  to  shelter  themselves  by  building  huts,  to  bring 
up  their  supplies  by  tedious  hauling  from  the  head  of  navigation,  and  to 
prosecute,  simultaneously,  in  the  midst  of  winter,  vigorous  field  opera 
tions  against  the  hostiles. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  Colonel  Miles,  with  Companies  "  A,"  "C," 
"D,"  "E,"  and  "K,"  5th  Infantry,  and  Companies  "  E,"  and  "  F,"  22d 
Infantry,  numbering  four  hundred  and  thirty-six  officers  and  men,  with 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  moved  out  against  the  Sioux  and  Cheyennes 
under  Crazy  Horse,  whose  camp  had  been  reported  south  of  the  Yellow 
stone,  in  the  valley  of  Tongue  River.  As  the  column  moved  up 
the  Tongue,  the  Indians  abandoned  their  winter  camps  consisting  of 
about  six  hundred  lodges,  and  the  column  had  two  sharp  skirmishes  on 
the  1st  and  3d  of  January,  driving  the  Indians  up  the  valley  of 
Tongue  River,  until  the  night  of  the  7th,  when  the  advance  captured  a 
young  warrior  and  seven  Cheyenne  women  and  children,  who  proved  to 
be  relatives  of  one  of  the  head-men  of  the  tribe.  A  determined  attempt 
was  made  by  the  Indians  to  rescue  the  prisoners,  and  preparations  were 
made  for  the  severe  fight  to  be  expected  the  next  day.  On  the  morning 
of  January  8th,  about  six  hundred  warriors  appeared  in  front  of  the  troops 
and  an  engagement  followed,  lasting  about  five  hours.  The  fight  took 
place  in  a  canon,  the  Indians  occupying  a  spur  of  the  Wolf  Mountain 
range,  from  which  they  were  driven  by  repeated  charges.  The  ground 
was  covered  with  ice  and  snow  to  a  depth  of  from  one  to  three  feet,  and 
the  latter  portion  of  the  engagement  was  fought  in  a  blinding  snow 
storm,  the  troops  stumbling  and  falling,  in  scaling  the  ice  and  snow-cov 
ered  cliffs  from  which  the  Indians  were  driven,  with  serious  loss  in  killed 
and  wounded,  through  the  Wolf  Mountains  and  in  the  direction  of  the 
Big  Horn  range.  The  troops  lost  three  men  killed  and  eight  wounded. 
The  column  then  returned  to  the  cantonment  at  the  mouth  of  Tongue 
River. 

January  9th,  a  detachment  of  Troops  "  H,"  and  "  L,"  6th  Cavalry,  and 


76 

Company  "  C,"  Indian  scouts,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  J.  A. 
Rucker,  6th  Cavalry,  from  the  Department  of  Arizona,  had  a  fight  with 
a  band  of  Indians  in  the  mountains  in  the  western  part  of  New  Mexico, 
killing  ten  Indians  and  capturing  one  ;  one  enlisted  man  was  wounded. 

January  12th,  on  Elkhorn  Creek,  Wyoming,  a  small  detachment  of 
Troop  "A,"  3d  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with  a  band  of  Indians,  three 
enlisted  men  being  wounded. 

February  23d,  near  Dead  wood,  Dakota,  Lieutenant  J.  F.  Cummings, 
with  Troop  "  C,"  3d  Cavalry,  attacked  a  war  party  of  Indians,  killing 
one  Indian  and  re-capturing  six  hundred  sheep,  seventeen  horses  and 
seven  head  of  cattle. 

May  4th,  Captain  P.  L.  Lee,  with  Troop  "  G,"  10th  Cavalry,  had  a 
fight  with  Indians  near  Lake  Quemado,  Texas,  killing  four  and  capturing 
six  ;  one  enlisted  man  was  killed,  sixty-nine  head  of  stock  we're  captured, 
and  twelve  lodges,  with  their  contents  destroyed.  On  May  6th,  three 
more  lodges  and  their  supplies  were  burned  by  Captain  Lee's  command 
in  Canon  Resecata. 

The   prisoners  which  Colonel  Miles'    command  captured   from  Crazy 
Horse's  village,  on  the  night  of  January  7th,  proved  a  valuable  acquisi 
tion   in   communicating  with   the   hostiles  and  in   arranging  negotiations 
for  their  surrender.     On   February  1st  Colonel  Miles  sent  out  a  scout, 
with  two  of  the  captives,  offering  terms  on  which  a  surrender  would  be 
accepted,  informing  the  hostiles  that  a  non-compliance  would  result  in  a 
movement  of  the  troops  against  them.     Following  up  the  trail  from  the 
scene  of  the  engagement  of  January  8th,  near  the  Wolf  Mountains,  the 
Indians  were  found  camped  on  a  tributary  of  the  Little  Big  Horn.     The 
mission    was    successfully   executed    and    on    February    19th    the    scout 
returned  with  nineteen  Indians,  mainly  chiefs  and  leading  warriors,  who 
desired  to  learn  the  exact  conditions  upon  which  they  could  surrender. 
The  terms  were  repeated,  viz :  unconditional  surrender  and  compliance 
with     such     orders    as     might    be     received     from     higher     authority. 
The    delegation   returned  to  their   village,    the    camps   moved    to   near 
the    forks     of    Powder    River,    for    a    general    council    and    a    large 
delegation   of    leading    chiefs    came    in,    March    18th,  to   learn   whether 
further   concessions    could     be    obtained     from     Colonel    Miles.      They 
were    informed   that   there  would    be    no  change  in  previous  conditions 
and  that  it  would  be  equally  satisfactory  if  the  Indians  surrendered  at  the 
more  southern  agencies,  but  that  they  must  do  one  thing  or  the  other,  or 
troops  would  be  immediately  sent  out  after  them.     Crazy  Horse's  uncle, 
named  "  Little  Hawk,"  with  others,  then  guaranteed  to  either  bring  the 
Indian  camp  to  the  cantonment  at  Tongue   River,  or  to  take   it  to  the 
lower  agencies,  leaving   in  Colonel    Miles'    hands  as  a   pledge   of  good 
faith,  nine   hostages,  prominent  men  and    head  warriors  of  both  tribes. 
Three  hundred  Indians  led  by  "  Two  Moons,"  "  Hump,"  and  other  chiefs, 


77 

surrendered  to  Colonel  Miles  on  April  22d.  The  largest  part  of  the 
bands,  numbering  more  than  two  thousand,  led  by  Crazy  Horse,  Little 
Hawk,  and  others,  moved  southward  and  surrendered  at  the  Red  Cloud 
and  Spotted  Tail  Agencies  in  May. 

Crazy  Horse  and  his  people  were  placed  on  the  reservation,  near 
Camp  Robinson,  where,  for  a  time,  they  appeared  quiet  and  peaceable, 
but  in  a  few  months  the  restraints  of  this  new  position  became  so  irksome 
to  Crazy  Horse,  that  he  began  to  concoct  schemes  again  involving  his 
people  in  war.  It  was  determined,  therefore,  to  arrest  and  confine  him. 
Whilst  on  his  way  to  the  guard-house,  he  broke  from  those  around  him 
and  attempted  to  escape  by  hewing  his  way,  with  a  knife,  through  the 
circle  of  sentinels  and  by-standers.  In  the  melee,  he  was  fatally  wounded 
and  died  on  the  night  of  September  7th. 

In  the  meantime  Sitting  Bull's  camp  had  gathered  near  the  Yellow 
stone,  and  when  Crazy  Horse  and  his  confederates  decided  to  place  them 
selves  under  subjection  to  the  Government,  Sitting  Bull's  band,  in  order 
to  avoid  surrendering  and  to  escape  further  pursuit,  retreated  beyond  the 
northern  boundary  and  took  refuge  on  Canadian  soil,  the  party  being  in 
a  very  destitute  condition,  almost  out  of  ammunition  and  having  lost 
nearly  everything  excepting  their  guns  and  horses. 

From  those  who  had  surrendered,  Colonel  Miles  learned  that  a  band 
of  renegades,  chiefly  Minneconjous,  under  "Lame  Deer,"  had  determined 
not  to  yield,  had  broken  off  from  those  who  surrendered  at  Tongue 
River,  and  had  moved  westward.  This  was  about  April  22d,  and  as  soon 
as  the  necessary  forage  could  be  obtained,  on  May  1st,  Colonel  Miles, 
with  a  force  consisting  of  Troops  "  F,"  "  G,"  "  H,"  and  "  L,"  2d  Cavalry, 
Companies  "  E,"  and  "  H,"  5th  Infantry,  and  "E,"  "  F,"  «  G,"  and  "H," 
22d  Infantry,  started  up  Tongue  River.  At  a  point  sixty-three  miles 
from  its  mouth,  they  cut  loose  from  the  wagons,  struck  across  to  and 
moved  up  the  Rosebud,  and  after  a  very  hard  march,  with  scarcely  a  halt 
during  two  nights  and  one  day,  the  command  surprised  Lame  Deer's 
band  on  May  7th,  near  the  mouth  of  Muddy  Creek,  an  affluent  of  the 
Rosebud.  The  village  was  charged  in  fine  style  and  the  Indian  herd 
of  animals  cut  off  and  secured.  The  Indians  were  called  on  to  surren 
der  ;  Lame  Deer  and  "  Iron  Star,"  his  head  warrior,  appeared  desirous 
of  doing  so,  but  after  shaking  hands  with  some  of  the  officers,  the  Indians 
either  meditating  treachery  or  fearing  it,  again  began  firing.  This  ended 
peace  making  and  the  fight  was  resumed,  the  hostiles  being  driven,  in  a 
running  fight,  eight  miles,  across  the  broken  country,  to  the  Rosebud. 
Fourteen  Indians  were  killed,  including  Lame  Deer  and  Iron  Star,  four 
hundred  and  fifty  horses,  mules  and  ponies,  and  the  entire  Indian  camp 
outfit  were  captured,  including  fifty-one  lodges  well  stored  with  supplies. 
Lieutenant  A.  M.  Fuller,  2d  Cavalry,  was  slightly  wounded;  four  enlisted 
men  were  killed  and  six  were  wounded.  The  Indians  who  escaped  sub- 


78 

sequently  moved  eastward  to  the  Little  Missouri  and  the  command  re 
turned  to  the  cantonment,  where  four  companies,  "  B,"  "  F,"  "  G,"  and 
"  I,"  5th  Infantry,  were  mounted  with  the  Indian  ponies  and  continued 
to  serve  as  cavalry  until  after  the  Nez  Percys  campaign  in  the  following 
autumn. 

During  the  remainder  of  May  and  the  early  part  of  June,  the  force 
under  Colonel  Miles,  commanding  the  district  of  the  Yellowstone,  was 
increased  by  eleven  troops  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  four  companies  of  the  1st 
Infantry,  and  two  of  the  llth  Infantry.  A  portion  of  these  were  sent 
to  assist  in  the  construction  of  the  new  post  on  the  Big  Horn,  (now  Fort 
Custer,)  and  field  operations  were  continued  by  several  separate  columns 
from  Colonel  Miles'  force. 

One  of  these  detachments,  consisting  of  six  companies  of  the  22d 
Infantry,  three  companies  of  the  1st  Infantry,  and  one  troop  of  the 
7th  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Major  H.  M.  Lazelle,  1st  Infantry, 
on  June  16th,  left  Tongue  River,  dropped  down  by  boat  to  below  the 
mouth  of  Powder  River,  marched  thence  beyond  the  Box  Elder,  on  the 
Upper  Little  Missouri,  and  struck  the  trail  of  Lame  Deer's  band.  This 
was  followed  nearly  to  Sentinel  Buttes,  the  advance  overtaking  and  skir 
mishing  with  a  part  of  the  band. 

A  second  detachment,  consisting  of  three  troops  of  the  2d  Cavalry 
and  one  piece  of  artillery,  was  sent  by  boat  from  Tongue  River  to  Glen- 
dive,  July  2d,  with  orders  to  march  towards  the  Little  Missouri  and  to 
try  to  intercept  the  Indians  pursued  by  Major  Lazelle.  The  two  forces 
united  on  the  Yellowstone  about  July  18th,  and  the  three  troops  of  the 
2d  Cavalry,  reinforced  by  three  companies,  "  A,"  "  H,"  and  "  I,"  5th  In 
fantry,  mounted,  were  placed  under  command  of  Major  J.  S.  Brisbin,  2d 
Cavalry.  These  two  commands  moved  across  the  Little  Missouri,  follow 
ing  the  trail  of  the  Indians  up  that  stream  to  Short  Pine  Hills.  Major 
Lazelle's  force  then  returned  with  the  wagons  to  Wolf  Rapids  and  sub 
sequently  to  Tongue  River,  arriving  there  about  the  end  of  August. 
Brisbin's  column,  with  pack  animals,  continued  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians 
across  the  Little  Powder  River,  then  to  the  main  Powder  and  over  the 
Wyoming  boundary,  gaining  upon  the  hostiles  and  causing  them  to 
abandon  some  of  their  property,  but  without  succeeding  in  getting  a 
fight.  Worn  out  by  the  hard  marching  and  pursuit,  Brisbin's  column 
returned  by  the  valleys  of  Powder  and  Tongue  Rivers  to  the  canton 
ment  at  the  mouth  of  the  latter,  where  it  arrived  August  30th;  the  In 
dians,  continually  pursued  and  harrassed  by  the  troops,  moved  south 
ward  to  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  Agencies,  surrendering  there  dur 
ing  the  months  of  July,  August  and  September. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  the  Nez  Perec's  Indians,  pursued  by  Gen 
eral  Howard,  with  troops  from  the  Department  of  the  Columbia,  made 
their  way,  via  the  Lo-Lo  trail,  toward  Montana;  Captain  Rawn,  7th  In- 


79 

fantry,  promptly  threw  a  small  force  consisting  of  his  company  of  thirty 
men  and  a  few  citizen  volunteers,  into  the  Lo-Lo  Pass,  where  they  in 
trenched  themselves  in  the  canon,  determined  to  dispute  the  entrance  of 
"  Chief  Joseph  "  and  his  band  into  Montana. 

On  July  27th,  Captain  Rawn  had  a  talk  with  the  Nez  Perec's,  who 
proposed,  if  unmolested,  to  march  peaceably  through  the  Bitter  Root 
valley,  but  Captain  Rawn  refused  to  allow  them  to  pass  without  the  war 
riors  surrendering  their  arms.  Another  council  was  arranged  for  the  fol 
lowing  day,  July  28th,  Captain  Rawn  hoping  to  detain  the  Nez  Perces 
until  General  Howard's  troops,  or  expected  assistance  from  Fort  Shaw, 
Montana,  under  Colonel  Gibbon,  should  arrive. 

After  the  second  council,  the  Nez  Perces  refused  to  comply  with  Cap 
tain  Rawn's  demands  and,  by  climbing  the  hills,  succeeded  in  passing 
around  his  flank  into  the  Bitter  Root  valley.  Captain  Rawn  then  aban 
doned  his  breastworks,  formed  a  skirmish  line  across  the  canon  and  ad 
vanced  in  the  direction  the  Indians  had  taken,  but  they  retreated  into 
the  Bitter  Root;  only  about  a  dozen  or  twenty  of  the  volunteers  remain 
ing  with  Captain  Rawn's  small  company,  it  was  obliged  to  return  to  its 
post  near  Missoula. 

Colonel  J.  Gibbon,  7th  Infantry,  having  collected  from  the  posts  in 
Montana,  several  companies  of  his  regiment,  started  from  Fort  Shaw  for 
Missoula,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  making  the  march  in  seven 
days.  He  reached  the  new  post,  there,  on  the  afternoon  of  August  3d, 
his  force  consisting  of  companies  "  A,"  "  D,"  "  F,"  u  G,"  "  I,"  and  "  K," 
7th  Infantry,  with  about  thirty-five  citizen  volunteers,  aggregating  one 
hundred  and  ninety-one  officers  and  men. 

With  this  command  Colonel  Gibbon  started  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians, 
who  had  turned  southward  up  the  valley  of  the  Bitter  Root,  and  after 
five  days  of  terrible  climbing  over  the  rugged  and  broken  country  inter 
vening,  the  Nez  Perces  village  was  overtaken,  on  the  night  of  the  8th 
of  August,  in  the  "  Big  Hole  Basin,"  Montana.  The  troops  quietly 
made  their  way;,  in  the  darkness,  through  the  Indian  herd  of  ponies,  and 
stationed  themselves  near  the  village,  the  command  lying  down  to  wait 
for  dawn. 

As  day  began  to  break,  the  troops,  in  perfect  silence,  moved  to  their 
positions  for  attack,  a  deep  slough,  with  water  waist  deep,  having  to  be 
crossed  before  reaching  the  Indian  camp.  Suddenly  a  single  shot  was 
heard  on  the  extreme  left,  followed  quickly  by  others,  and  the  line  of 
men  sprang  forward.  A  heavy  fire  was  at  once  opened  along  the  entire 
length  of  the  Indian  "  teepees,"  the  startled  Nez  Perces  rushing  from 
their  lodges  in  every  direction,  many  taking  refuge  in  the  brush  and 
behind  the  bank  of  the  creek,  along  which  the  village  lay.  A  destruc 
tive  fire. was  poured  into  the  troops,  as  the  latter  came  into  the  open 


80 

ground,  but  in  less  than  twenty  minutes  they  were  in  full  possession  oT 
the  camp  and  orders  were  given  for  its  destruction. 

Whilst  part  of  the  men  were  engaged  in  burning  the  lodges,  the 
Indians  kept  up  a  fire  from  their  sheltered  positions,  officers  and  men 
falling  rapidly  under  these  well  directed  shots,  until  orders  were  reluc 
tantly  given  to  withdraw  from  the  village  and  take  shelter  in  the  timber. 
This  movement  was  successfully  accomplished,  the  troops  carrying  off 
with  them  such  of  their  wounded  as  could  be  found,  the  Nez  Perec's  fol 
lowing  closely  and  keeping  up  a  constant  fire.  The  fighting  continued 
with  activity  all  day,  the  Indians  attempting  to  burn  out  the  troops,  by 
setting  fire  to  the  grass  and  woods,  and  during  the  night  shots  were 
occasionally  discharged  into  the  position  of  the  troops. 

In  the  night  march,  on  August  8th,  to  surprise  and  attack  the  camp, 
the  supply  train  had  to  be  left  behind,  so  that  the  troops  were  wholly 
without  food,  blankets,  or  medicine  for  the  wounded,  all  being  forced  to 
satisfy  hunger,  as  well  as  they  could,  with  the  flesh  of  their  dead  horses. 
About  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  on  August  10th,  the  Indians  gave  the 
troops  a  parting  volley  and  disappeared. 

On  the  morning  of  August  llth,  parties  were  sent  out  by  Gibbon  to 
bury  the  dead,  all  of  whom  were  found  and  properly  interred.  At  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  General  Howard,  with  a  small  escort  from  his 
column,  reached  Gibbon's  position,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made 
to  resume  the  pursuit. 

In  this  engagement  the  casualties  were  very  great,  considering  the 
small  size  of  the  force  engaged,  and  were  as  follows  :  Killed,  Captain 
William  Logan  and  First  Lieutenant  James  H.  Bradley,  7th  Infantry, 
twenty-one  enlisted  men  and  six  citizens  ;  total  killed,  twenty-nine. 
Wounded,  Colonel  John  Gibbon,  Captain  C.  Williams,  two  wounds  ; 
First  Lieutenant  C.  A.  Coolidge,  three  wounds  ;  First  Lieutenant  Wil 
liam  L.  English,  two  wounds,  one  wound  mortal  ;  Second  Lieutenant  C. 
A.  Woodruff,  three  wounds;  four  citizen  volunteers  wounded  and  thirty- 
one  enlisted  men,  one  of  the  latter  mortally;  total  killed  and  wounded, 
sixty-nine,  out  of  a  strength  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-one.  Lieutenant 
English  died  of  his  wounds  August  19th. 

Captain  Comba,  who  commanded  the  burial  party,  reported  finding 
the  bodies  of  eighty-nine  dead  Indians  on  the  field. 

On  August  13th,  fifty  of  Colonel  Gibbon's  badly  crippled  force  vol 
unteered,  under  Captain  Browning  and  Lieutenants  Wright  and  Van 
Orsdale,  to  go  with  General  Howard  in  pursuit  of  the  hostiles,  and  Col 
onel  Gibbon  proceeded  with  the  wounded  to  Deer  Lodge,  Montana, 
ninety-miles  distant,  where  they  arrived  on  August  16th.  Captain  R. 
Norwood,  with  Troop  "  L,"  2d  Cavalry,  started  from  Fort  Ellis,  August 
8th,  to  join  Colonel  Gibbon  in  the  field,  but  while  en  route  was  ordered 
to  report  to  General  Howard. 


81 

After  leaving  the  Big  Hole  battle  ground,  the  Nez  Percys  proceeded 
south,  past  the  town  of  Bannock,  murdering  settlers  and  stealing  stock 
as  they  went.  They  then  crossed  the  main  divide  of  the  Rocky  Moun 
tains,  east  of  Fort  Lemhi,  turned  east  and  recrossed  the  Rockies  again, 
near  Henry's  Lake,  moved  thence  to  the  Madison  River,  up  that  stream 
to  the  Geyser  Basin  and  through  that  to  the  Yellowstone.  This  they 
crossed,  and  then  moved,  by  an  irregular  course,  to  Clark's  Fork  and 
down  that  to  its  junction  with  the  Yellowstone,  closely  pursued  by  Gen 
eral  Howard's  wearied  troops  and  the  detachment  from  Colonel  Gibbon's 
command. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  August  20th,  at  Camas  Meadows,  Idaho,  the" 
Nez  Perces  succeeded  in  capturing  about  one  hundred  mules  from  Gen 
eral  Howard;  Major  San  ford,  with  two  troops  of  the  1st  Cavalry,  and 
that  of  Captain  Norwood,  pursued  with  great  energy,  struck  the  Indians 
and  recaptured  about  fifty  of  the  animals.  In  this  attack  Lieutenant  H. 
M.  Be/ison,  7th  Infantry,  attached  to  Captain  Norwood's  troop,  and  six 
enlisted  men  were  wounded  ;  one  enlisted  man  wras  killed. 

Information  of  the  direction'  the  Nez  Perces  were  taking  having  been 
transmitted  by  telegraph,  Colonel  Sturgis,  with  Troops  "F,"  "  G,"  "H," 
"  I,"  "  L,"  and  "  M,"  7th  Cavalry,  numbering  about  three  hundred  and 
sixty  men,  was  dispatched  from  the  neighborhood  of  Tongue  River,  to 
try  to  intercept  the  hostiles  in  the  direction  of.  Judith  Gap.  On  August 
27th,  Colonel  Sturgis  received,  by  way  of  Fort  Ellis,  a  telegram  from 
General  Howard,  dated  the  25th,  at  Virginia  City,  Montana,  stating  that 
the  hostiles  would  cross  the  Stinking  River,  about  one  hundred  miles 
southeast  of  the  Crow  Agency :  he  also  reqeived  information  through 
his  scouting  parties  which  satisfied  him  that  the  Nez  Percys  were  still 
south  of  the  Yellowstone,  so  Colonel  Sturgis  decided  to  watch  both  the 
Stinking  River  and  Clark's  Fork.  On  September  8th  he  struck  the  trail, 
and  on  September  llth  met  the  exhausted  troops  of  General  Howard  in 
the  vicinity  of  Clark's  Fork. 

Colonel  Sturgis  pushed  on,  with  his  own  command,  hoping  by  forced 
marches  of  fifty  or  sixty  miles  per  day,  for  three  or  four  days,  to  over 
take  the  Nez  Perces;  so,  joined  by  about  fifty  men  of  Troops  "  C,"  and 
"  K,"  1st  Cavalry,  and  two  mountain  howitzers  from  General  Howard's 
expedition,  the  chase  was  resumed.  At  the  same  time  word  was  sent  by 
couriers  to  Colonel  Miles,  at  Tongue  River,  notifying  him  of  the  course 
the  Nez  Perec's  were  last  following,  in  the  belief  that  he  might,  by  a 
rapid  direct  march  from  his  post,  intercept  the  hostiles  still  further  to  the 
north. 

The  first  day  after  leaving  General  Howard,  Colonel  Sturgis  marched 
fifty  miles,  and  the  next  morning,  September  13th,  he  reached  the  Yel 
lowstone  and  crossed  the  river.  The  Nez  Perces  being  reported  in  sight, 
the  column  moved  rapidly  down  the  valley  six  or  seven  miles,  the  advance 


82 

guard  attacking  a  few  Indian  skirmishers  posted  behind  the  crests  of 
some  ridges.  Colonel  Sturgis'  entire  force  soon  became  engaged  and 
drove  these  Indians  back  upon  their  main  body  which  was  moving  up 
Cailon  Creek.  The  Indians  strongly  occupied  both  the  cafion  and  high 
ground  on  each  side  of  it,  but  they  were  steadily  driven  by  the  troops 
from  rock  to  rock,  toward  the  head  of  the  canon,  when  nightfall  put  an 
end  to  the  fight. 

The  loss  of  the  Indians  in  this  engagement  and  in  the  pursuit  on  the 
following  day,  was  twenty-one  killed  ;  the  loss  of  the  troops  was  three 
enlisted  men  killed  and  Captain  T.  H.  French,  7th  Cavalry,  and  eleven 
enlisted  men  wounded  ;  the  number  of  ponies  lost  by  the  Indians  was 
altogether  about  nine  hundred. 

Early  on  September  14th,  Sturgis  resumed  the  pursuit,  preceeded  by 
a  large  party  of  Crow  scouts,  who  killed  five  more  of  the  rear  guard  of 
the  Nez  Perces  and  captured  four  hundred  of  the  entire  number  of  ponies 
taken  by  Sturgis'  command.  Worn  out  by  incessant  marching,  the 
troops  could  do  little,  however,  to  diminish  the  distance  between  them 
selves  and  the  Indians,  every  officer  and  man  of  the  cavalry  taken  from 
General  Howard's  column,  being  on  foot,  owing  to  the  exhausted  condition 
of  their  horses.  For  several  days  the  troops  had  been  wholly  without 
rations  and  the  limit  of  endurance  had  been  reached  by  both  men  and 
animals;  Colonel  Sturgis  accordingly  discontinued  his  pursuit  and  waited 
for  General  Howard  to  overtake  him,  when  both  commands  were  united, 
and  marched  together  from  the  Musselshell  to  the  Missouri,  reaching 
Carroll,  on  October  1st.  General  Howard  proceeded  by  boat  to  Cow 
Island,  leaving  Colonel  Stuxgis  in  command  of  the  troops. 

The  night  of  September  17th,  Colonel  Miles  received  the  communica 
tions  informing  him  of  the  movements  of  the  Nez  Perces;  he  at  once 
started  from  Tongue  River,  September  18th,  and  marched  rapidly  in  a 
northwest  direction  to  intercept  the  enemy.  His  force  consisted  of 
Troops  "F,"  UG,"  and  «H,"  3d  Cavalry,  "A,"  "  D,"  and  "  K,"  7th 
Cavalry  and  Companies  "B,"  "F,"  "-G,"  "I,"  and  "K,"  5th  Infantry, 
(mounted,)  two  pieces  of  light  artillery  and  a  detachment  of  white  and 
Indian  scouts;  he  decided  to  push  for  the  gap  between  the  northern  end 
of  the  Little  Rocky  and  the  Bear  Paw  Mountains.  On  September  23d 
the  Nez  Perec's  crossed  the  Missouri,  at  Cow  Island,  destroying  the  public 
and  private  stores  there.  A  detachment  of  twelve  men,  under  Sergeant 
Molchert,  7th  Infantry,  was  stationed  at  this  point,  in  a  slight  intrench- 
ment;  they  were  repeatedly  charged  by  the  Nez  Percys,  who  were, 
however,  as  often  repulsed  by  the  little  garrison  consisting  of  but  four 
citizens  and  Sergeant  Molchert's  detachment ;  two  of  the  citizens  were 
wounded. 

Major  Ilges,  7th  Infantry,  commanding  at  Fort  Benton,  received 
information,  on  September  21st,  that  the  Nez  Percys  were  approaching 


83 

Fort  Claggett;  he  immediately  started  with  his  single  weak  company  of 
the  7th  Infantry  and  a  party  of  thirty-six  citizen  volunteers,  and  reached 
Claggett  the  next  day.  On  September  26th  a  skirmish  ensued,  lasting 
two  hours,  one  of  the  volunteers  being  killed.  Major  Ilges,  feeling  that 
his  force  was  not  strong  enough  to  continue  the  pursuit,  he  withdrew  to 
Cow  Island. 

On  September  25th.  Colonel  Miles  received,  through  the  citizens  who 
had  escaped  from  Cow  Island,  information  that  the  Indians  had  crossed 
the  Missouri,  so  he  began  very  rapid  forced  marches  which  brought  his 
command  to  the  Bear  Paw  range  on  September  29th. 

On  September  30th,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  after  a  march 
of  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  miles,  Colonel  Miles'  command  was  upon 
the  trail  of  the  Nez  Perces  and  their  village  was  reported  only  a  few 
miles  away.  It  was  located  within  the  curve  of  a  cresent  shaped  cut 
bank  in  the  valley  of  Snake  Creek  and  this,  with  the  position  of  some 
warriors  in  ravines  leading  into  the  valley,  rendered  it  impossible,  for  his 
scouts  to  determine  the  full  size  and  strength  of  the  camp.  The  whole 
column,  however,  advanced  at  a  rapid  gait,  the  leading  battalion  of  the 
2d  Cavalry  being  sent  to  make  a  slight  detour,  attack  in  rear,  and  cut  off 
and  secure  the  herd.  This  was  done  in  gallant  style,  the  battalion,  in  a 
running  fight,  capturing  upwards  of  eight  hundred  ponies;  the  battalions 
of  the  7th  Cavalry  and  the  5th  Infantry  charged,  mounted,  directly 
upon  the  village. 

The  attack  was  met  by  a  desperate  resistance  and  every  advance  was 
stubbornly  contested  by  the  Indians,  but  with  a  courageous  persistence, 
fighting  dismounted,  the  troops  secured  command  of  the  whole  Indian 
position,  excepting  the  beds  of  the  ravines  in  which  some  of  the  warriors 
were  posted.  A  charge  was  made  on  foot  by  a  part  of  the  5th  Infantry 
down  a  slope  and  along  the  open  valley  of  the  creek  into  the  village,  but 
the  fire  of  the  Indians  soon  disabled  thirty-five  per  cent  of  the  detach 
ment  which  made  this  assault,  and  attempts  to  capture  the  village,  by 
such  means,  had  to  be  abandoned. 

In  the  first  charge  by  the  troops  and  during  the  hot  fighting  which 
followed,  Captain  O.  Hale,  7th  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  J.  W.  Biddle,  7th 
Cavalry,  and  twenty-two  enlisted  men  were  killed;  Captains  Moylan  and 
Godfrey,  7th  Cavalry,  First  Lieutenants  Baird  and  Romeyn,  5th  Infantry, 
and  thirty-eight  enlisted  men  were  wounded. 

The  Indian  herd  having  been  captured,  the  eventual  escape  of  the 
village  became  almost  impossible.  The  casualties  to  the  troops  had 
amounted  to  twenty  per  cent  of  the  force  engaged,  there  were  many 
wounded  to  care  for,  and  there  were  neither  tents  nor  fuel,  a  cold  wind 
and  snow  storm  prevailing  on  the  night  of  September  30th,  so  Colonel 
Miles  determined  to  simply  hold  his  advantage  for  a  time,  notifying 
General  Howard  and  Colonel  Sturgis  of  the  situation;  Colonel  Sturgis 


84 

received  Colonel  Miles'  dispatch  on  the  evening  of  October  2d,  and  at 
once  started  his  troops  for  the  battle  field. 

On  the  morning  of  October  1st,  however,  communication  was  opened 
between  Colonel  Miles'  troops  and  the  Indians,  and  Chief  Joseph,  with 
several  of  his  warriors,  appeared  under  a  flag  of  truce:  they  expressed  a 
willingness  to  surrender,  and  brought  up  a  part  of  their  arms,  (eleven 
rifles  and  carbines,)  but  being  suspicious,  the  Nez  Percys  remaining  in 
camp  hesitated  to  come  forward  and  lay  down  their  arms.  While  Chief 
Joseph  remained  in  Colonel  Miles'  camp,  Lieutenant  Jerome,  3d  Cavalry, 
was  sent  to  ascertain  what  was  going  on  in  the  village;  he  went  into  the 
Indian  camp  and  was  detained  there  by  the  Nez  Percys,  unharmed,  until 
Joseph  returned  on  the  afternoon  of  October  2d.  General  Howard  with 
a  small  escort,  arrived  upon  the  scene,  on  the  evening  of  October  4th,  in 
time  to  be  present  at  the  full  surrrender  of  the  Indians. 

During  the  fight  with  Colonel  Miles'  command,  seventeen  Indians 
were  killed  and  forty  wounded;  the  surrender  included  eighty-seven  war 
riors,  one  hundred  and  eighty-four  squaws  and  one  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  children.  The  prisoners  were  first  sent  to  Fort  A.  Lincoln,  thence, 
to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  were  finally  located  in  the  Indian 
Territory. 

In  the  annual  report  for  the  year  18  77,  by  Colonel  Miles, 'commanding 
the  district  of  the  Yellowstone,  the  following  summary  of  the  operations 
of  his  troops  against  Indians  in  that  District,  for  the  years  1876  and  1877, 
appears;  aggregate  distance  marched,  over  four  thousand  miles:  besides 
the  large  amount  of  property  captured  and  destroyed,  sixteen  hundred 
horses,  ponies  and  mules  were  taken  from  the  hostiles:  each  principal  en 
gagement  was  followed  by  important  surrenders  of  bands,  and  upwards 
of  seven  thousand  Indians  were  either  killed,  captured,  forced  to  sur 
render,  or  driven  out  of  the  country. 

September  29th,  Lieutenant  Bullis,  24th  Infantry,  with  a  small  de 
tachment,  pursued  a  band  of  hostile  Lipans  and  attacked  them  in  their 
camp,  four  miles  from  Saragossa,  Mexico;  he  captured  four  squaws,  one 
boy,  twelve  horses  and  two  mules  and  destroyed  the  Indians'  camp 
equipage. 

November  1st,  near  the  Rio  Grande,  Lieutenant  Bullis,  24th  Infantry, 
with  a  detachment  of  thirty-seven  Seminole  scouts,  had  a  fight  with  a 
band  of  renegade  Apaches  and  other  Indians.  Captain  S.  B.  M.  Young, 
8th  Cavalry,  with  a  force  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  men,  consisting 
of  Troops  "A"  and  "K,"  8th  Cavalry,  and  "C,"  10th  Cavalry,  and  Lieu 
tenant  Bullis'  detachment  of  scouts,  after  a  very  long  pursuit,  succeeded 
in  surprising  this  band  of  Indians  near  the  Carmen  Mountains,  Mexico, 
on  November  29th.  A  charge  by  the  troops  dispersed  the  Indians  in 
every  direction,  with  a  loss  of  their  camp  equipage,  seventeen  horses,  six 
mules  and  some  arms;  one  enlisted  man  was  wounded. 


85 

December  13th,  at  Ralston  Flat,  New  Mexico,  a  detachment  of  Troops 
"C,"  "G,"  "H,"  and  "L,"  6th  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  J.  A. 
Rucker,  6th  Cavalry,  from  the  Department  of  Arizona,  had  a  skirmish  in 
which  one  Indian  was  killed;  the  same  detachment  had  another  fight  with 
Indians  in  Las  Animas  mountains,  New  Mexico,  December  18th,  when 
fifteen  more  Indians  were  killed. 

In  addition  to  engagements  between  Troops  and  Indians,  in  the 
Department  of  Texas,  the  following  attacks  were  also  specially  reported 
by  various  post  commanders  : 

October  9th,  1876,  Juan  Marengo  was  killed  at  the  mail  station  at 
Eagle  Springs,  Texas. 

Two  men,  named  Kountz  and  Spears,  mail  carriers  from  Fort 
McKavett,  Texas,  were  killed  :  date  not  given. 

February  22d,  1877,  a  buffalo  hunter,  named  Soule,  was  killed  near 
the  Staked  Plains. 

March  7th,  1877,  four  miles  from  Fort  Davis,  Deroteo  Cardinas  and 
John  Williams  were  killed. 

The  Commanding  Officer  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  reported  three  persons 
killed  by  Indians  on  April  20th,  21st,  and  22d,  1877. 

May  30th,  1877,  Bescento  Acosta  was  killed  by  Apaches,  about  four 
miles  from  Fort  Davis. 

August  1st,  1877,  Henry  Dill,  a  stage  driver,  was  killed  at  El  Muerto, 
Texas  and  on  the  same  day,  four  miles  from  that  place,  a  man  named 
Sandy  Ball  was  killed. 

A  Mexican  was  killed,  near  Uvalde,  November  16th,  and  two  Mexi 
can  herders  were  also  killed,  near  Fort  Clark,  on  November  18th. 

December  23d,  Gabriel  Valdez  and  Horan  Parsons  were  killed  in 
Bass  Canon,  near  Van  Horn's  Wells,  Texas. 


1878. 


January  5th,  sixty  miles  northwest  of  Presidio  del  Norte,  Texas,  six 
men  were  killed  by  Mescalero  Apaches  from  the  Fort  Stanton  reserva 
tion,  New  Mexico.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer  Fort  Davis, 
Texas.) 

January  16th,  Colonel  J.  E.  Smith,  14th  Infantry,  commanding  officer 
at  Fort  Hall,  Idaho,  reported  the  surprise  and  capture  by  troops  of  his 
command,  of  a  party  of  hostile  Bannocks  at  the  Ross  Fork  Agency, 
Idaho;  ten  warriors  were  disarmed  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  horses  cap 
tured. 

On  the  same  day,  Companies  "  A,"  and  "  H,"  25th  Infantry,  and 
Troop  "  H,"  10th  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Captain  Courtney,  25th  Infan 
try,  proceeded  in  pursuit  of  Indians  who  had  raided  Russell's  ranch,  on 
the  Rio  Grande,  Texas,  where  four  Mexicans  had  been  killed  and  three 
wounded:  the  time  which  had  elapsed  before  receiving  news  of  the  at 
tack,  and  the  distance  to  be  marched  by  the  troops  were  so  great,  how 
ever,  that  the  Indians  could  not  be  overtaken.  The  same  day  the  com 
manding  officer  of  Fort  McKavett,  Texas,  reported  Mr.  Doty  killed  by 
Indians,  near  Brady  City,  Texas,  and  another  person,  name  unknown,  in 
Mason  County,  Texas. 

February  16th,  Victorio  Rios,  a'nd  Sevoriano  Elivano,  were  killed  by 
Indians,  at  Point  of  Rocks,  Limpia  Canon,  Texas.  (Reported  by  com 
manding  officer  Fort  Davis,  Texas.) 

February  23d,  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  reported 
that  R.  W.  Barry  and  Juan  Dias  were  killed  by  Indians,  on  the  Laredo 
road,  twenty-three  miles  below  Fort  Duncan,  Texas. 

April  15th,  Lieutenant  A.  Geddes,  25th  Infantry,  with  ten  men  of 
Troop  "  K,"  10th  Cavalry,  pursued  to  the  Carrizo  Mountains,  a  band  of 
Mescalero  Apache  Indians  who  had  stolen  twelve  mules  from  a  train  near 
Fort  Davis,  Texas.  The  same  day  Lieutenant  Bigelow,  with  twenty-five 
men  of  Troop  "  B,"  10th  Cavalry,  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  who  had 
killed  a  mail  rider  near  Escondido  Station,  Texas;  the  trail  was  followed 
for  six  days  and  the  mail  found,  but  the  Indians  could  not  be  overtaken. 

April  17th,  the  following  named  persons  were  killed  :  W.  M.  Mc- 
CaJl,  nine  miles  from  Fort  Quitman,  Texas,  Frederick  B.  Moore,  at  San 
Ygnacio,  McMullen  County,  and  Vicenti  Robledo,  near  Brown's  ranch, 
Texas;  George  and  Dick  Taylor  were  also  killed,  at  Mr.  Steele's  ranch, 


88 

on  the  Nueces  River,  Texas,  by  Li  pan  and  Kickapoo  Indians.  (Reported 
by  the  commanding  officers  of  Fort  Davis,  San  Diego,  and  Fort  Clark, 
Texas.) 

April  18th,  Guadaloupe  Basan  was  killed  at  Rancho  Soledad,  Duval 
County,  Texas  :  near  this  ranch,  on  the  same  day,  a  Mexican  shepherd 
and  his  wife  were  shot,  tied  together  and  thrown  across  a  horse  :  John 
Jordan  was  also  killed  at  Charco  Escondido,  Duval  County,  Texas.  (Re 
ported  by  commanding  officer  of  San  Diego,  Texas.) 

April  19th,  Margarito  Rodriguez  was  killed,  ten  miles  west  of  Charco 
Escondido,  Texas;  at  Quijotes  Gordes,  Texas,  Jose  Maria  Caiiales  was 
shot  by  Indians,  thrown  into  his  camp  fire  and  his  lower  extremities  con 
sumed.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer  at  San  Diego,  Texas.)  . 

April  20th,  Lonjinio  Gonzales.  mail  rider,  was  killed  near  "  Point  of 
Rocks,"  eighteen  miles  north  east  of  Fort  Davis,  Texas;  also  Florentine 
and  another  person,  (name  unknown);  these  were  supposed  to  have  been 
killed  by  Mescalero  Apaches  from  Fort  Stanton  reservation,  New  Mex 
ico.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Davis,  Texas.) 

The  hostiles  who  had  broken  away  and  followed  Sitting  Bull  to  the 
British  Possessions  in  1877,  continued  hovering  in  considerable  numbers 
on  both  sides  of  the  boundary.  Reports  were  received  of  over  four  hun 
dred  lodges  having  gone  north,  in  various  bands,  since  the  1st  of  Octo 
ber,  preceding,  so  Colonel  Miles,  with  about  eight  hundred  mounted 
men  from  Fort  Keogh,  Montana,  started  in  February  for  the  purpose  of 
finding  a  large  force  of  Indians  then  on  the  south  side  of  the  line  ; 
instructions  were  sent  from  the  War  Department,  not  to  attack  them, 
however,  if  they  remained  north  of  the  Missouri,  so  the  expedition  was 
recalled  under  these  conditions.  On  April  2d,  the  United  States  Indian 
Agent  at  Fort  Peck,  hearing  of  the  approach  of  a  small  force  of  troops 
under  Lieutenant  Baldwin,  5th  Infantry,  requested  that  officer  to  visit 
the  agency,  where  small  parties  of  well  armed  hostiles  had  been  coming 
in  constantly,  professing  a  desire  to  cease  hostilities,  demanding  food, 
making  violent  demonstrations  when  refused,  and  threatening  the  agent 
by  firing  over  his  head  :  Lieutenant  Baldwin  proceeded  to  the  agency, 
leaving  his  troops  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  about  April  25th  he 
received  the  surrender  of  a  small  band,  five  or  six  of  whom  were  war 
riors. 

June  1st,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  reported  that 
two  herders  were  killed  at  Mr.  Nicholas  Colson's  ranch,  twelve  miles 
west  of  Camp  Wood,  Texas. 

June  28th,  at  Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory,  a  United  States  Marshal, 
with  a  guard  of  soldiers,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Whitall,  16th  Infan 
try,  attempted  to  execute  a  writ  for  the  arrest  of  Indians  engaged  in*an 
attempt  to  kill  a  man  named  Montgomery;  the  Indians  resisting  and 


89 

drawing  their  knives  upon  Lieutenant  Whitall  and  his  guard,  two  In 
dians  were  killed  and  one  wounded. 

June  30th,  Lieutenant  C.  R.  Ward,  with  fifteen  men  of  Troop  "  D," 
10th  Cavalry,  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  who  had  stolen  seven  horses  on 
the  South  Concho  River,  Texas;  heavy  rains  having  obliterated  the  trail, 
the  pursuit  was  finally  abandoned. 

Small  parties  of  Nez  Perec's  having  again  committed  murders  and 
depredations  in  Montana,  on  July  15th,  First  Lieutenant  T.  S.  Wallace, 
3d  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  of  fifteen  mounted  men,  started  in  pur 
suit  :  he  overtook  them  near  Middle  Fork  of  the  Clearwater,  July  21st, 
killed  six  Indians  and  wounded  three,  captured  thirty-one  horses  and 
mules,  and  killed  twenty-three,  without  loss  to  his  command.  This  party 
were  supposed  to  be  deserters  from  "  White  Bird's  "  band,  on  their  way 
from  British  Columbia  to  their  former  homes  in  Idaho. 

August  3d,  Sergeant  Claggett,  with  eleven  men  of  Troop  "H,"  10th 
Cavalry,  pursued  to  the  Guadaloupe  Mountains,  a  band  of  Indians  who 
had  killed  a  stage  driver  and  run  off  stock  at  El  Muerto,  Texas. 

Hostile  Bannock  Indians  from  .the  Department  of  the  Columbia,  pro 
ceeded  eastward,  over  the  Nez  Perces  trail  of  the  previous  year,  stealing 
stock  on  the  way  ;  Captain  J.  Egan,  with  Troop  "  K,"  2d  Cavalry,  pro 
ceeded  up  the  Madison  River,  in  the  direction  of  Henry's  Lake,  and  on 
August  27th  struck  a  Bannock  camp  and  captured  fifty-six  head  of 
stock. 

Hearing  of  the  approach  of  the  Bannocks,  Colonel  Miles,  with  one 
hundred  men  of  the  5th  Infantry  and  a  band  of  thirty-five  Crow  scouts, 
hastened  to  intercept  the  hostiles.  A  small  party,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant  Clark,  2d  Cavalry,  was  detached  by  Colonel  Miles,  to  make 
a  detour,  and  on  the  29th  and  80th  of  August  struck  parties  of  Ban 
nocks,  inflicting  some  damage  in  each  case.  Colonel  Miles  continued  up 
Clark's  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone,  and  on  September  4th  surprised  a  camp 
of  Bannocks,  killed  eleven  Indians  and  captured  thirty-one,  together 
with  two  hundred  horses  and  mules:  Captain  Bennett,  5th  Infantry,  was 
killed,  also  the  Interpreter  and  one  Indian  scout  ;  one  enlisted  man  was 
wounded. 

On  September  12th,  Lieutenant  H.  S.  Bishop,  5th  Cavalry,  with  a  de 
tachment  of  thirty  men  and  some  Shoshone  scouts,  struck  a  party  of 
Bannocks  on  a  tributary  of  Snake  River,  Wyoming,  killed  one  Indian 
and  captured  seven,  together  with  eleven  horses  and  three  mules  :  the 
prisoners  had  escaped  from  the  fight  with  Colonel  Miles  on  Clark's  Fork, 
September  4th,  and  reported  that  they  had  lost  twenty-eight  killed  in 
that  affair. 

»  After  the  extensive  surrenders  in  1877,  of  the  hostile  Northern  Chey- 
ennes,  in  the  Departments  of  Dakota  and  the  Platte,  a  portion,  number 
ing  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  men,  three  hundred  and  twelve  women 


90 

and  three  hundred  and  eighty-six  children,  with  four  Arapahoes,  were 
sent  with  a  military  guard  from  Fort  Robinson,  Nebraska,  to  the  Chey 
enne  and  Arapahoe  Agency,  at  Fort  Reno,  Indian  Territory,  where  they 
were  turned  over  to  the  Indian  Agent  on  August  8th,  1877. 

Subsequent  to  that  date,  other  small  parties  surrendered  and  some  died, 
so  that  on  July  1st,  1878,  the  number  of  Northern  Cheyennes,  at  Fort 
Reno,  Indian  Territory,  was  nine  hundred  and  forty-two.  An  attempt 
had  been  made  by  General  Pope,  commanding  the  Department  of  the 
Missouri,  to  disarm  and  dismount  these  Indians,  so  as  to  place  them  on 
the  same  footing  with  the  Southern  Cheyennes,  but  as  it  was  found  this 
could  not  be  done  without  violation  of  the  conditions  of  their  surrender, 
they  were  permitted  to  retain  their  arms  and  ponies. 

A  large  part  of  these  Northern  Cheyennes  found  friends  and  kindred 
among  the  Southern  Cheyennes  at  Fort  Reno,  mixed  with  them,  and 
joined  the  various  bands.  About  one-third  of  the  Northern  Cheyennes, 
however,  under  the  leadership  of  "Dull  Knife,"  "  Wild  Hog,"  "Little 
Wolf,"  and  others,  comprising  about  three  hundred  and  seventy-five 
Indians,  remained  together  and  would  not  affiliate  with  the  Southern 
Cheyennes.  Dissatisfied  with  life  at  their  new  agency  at  Fort  Reno, 
they  determined  to  break  away,  move  north  and  rejoin  their  friends 
in  the  country  where  they  formerly  lived.  As  nearly  as  could  be 
ascertained,  those  who  escaped  from  Fort  Reno  numbered  eighty-nine 
men,  one  hundred  and  twelve  women  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
children.  Their  intention  to  escape  had  long  been  suspected  and  their 
movements  were  consequently  watched  by  the  troops,  but  by  abandon 
ing  all  their  lodges,  which  they  left  standing,  they  stole  away  on  the 
night  of  September  9th.  Two  troops  of  the  4th  Cavalry,  under  Captain 
Rendlebrock,  the  only  mounted  force  at  Reno,  started  immediately  in 
pursuit,  and  the  garrisons  were  ordered  out  from  Forts  Supply,  Dodge, 
Lyon  and  other  places,  near  the  Arkansas  River,  to  intercept  or  overtake 
the  escaping  band;  some  cavalry  was  also  ordered  up  to  Fort  Reno,  from 
Fort  Sill,  to  prevent  an  extension  of  this  exodus,  and  two  troops  of  the 
4th  Cavalry,  were  also  directed  to  march  rapidly  from  Fort  Elliott,  Texas, 
to  Fort  Dodge.  Besides  these  precautions,  the  garrisons  of  Fort  Wal 
lace,  two  companies  of  16th  Infantry,  Fort  Hays,  three  companies  of  3d 
Infantry,  and  Fort  Leavenworth,  the  latter  consisting  of  one  hundred 
mounted  men  of  the  23d  Infantry,  altogether  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
were  disposed  along  the  line  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  to  watch  for 
the  Cheyennes,  should  they  succeed  in  eluding  the  troops  upon  the  Ar 
kansas. 

In  the  Department  of  the  Platte,  dispositions  of  troops  were  made 
along  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  at  points  where  the  Indians 
might  be  expected  to  cross,  should  they  escape  between  the  detachments 
in  the  Department  of  the  Missouri. 


91 

On  September  16th,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wm.  H.  Lewis,  19th  Infan 
try,  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  reported  that  the  Chey- 
ennes  were  raiding  about  the  mouth  of  Bluff  Creek,  Indian  Territory, 
and  were  driving  off  stock.  Colonel  Lewis  sent  all  the  force  he  could 
spare  (about  forty  men  of  the  19th  Infantry,)  to  Pierce ville,  north  of  the 
Arkansas,  and  west  of  Fort  Dodge,  to  try  and  strike  the  Indians,  if  they 
attempted  to  cross  the  river.  On  September  19th,  he  sent  Captain 
Morse,  with  his  company  of  thirty-five  men  of  the  16th  Infantry,  ten 
more  men  of  the  19th  Infantry,  and  Troop  "  I,"  4th  Cavalry,  all  of  whom 
had  arrived  at  Fort  Dodge,  to  assist  in  pursuit  south  of  the  Arkansas. 

All  the  operations  along  the  line  of  the  Arkansas  were  finally  placed 
under  direction  of  Colonel  Lewis,  whose  force  at  last  numbered  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  only  one  half  of  them  being  cavalry. 

On  September  21st,  about  dark,  the  united  companies  of  Captain 
Rendlebrock  and  Captain  Morse,  numbering  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
soldiers,  with  some  fifty  citizens,  had  a  skirmish  with  the  Indians  on  Sand 
Creek,  south  of  the  Arkansas,  and  again  upon  the  following  day. 

On  the  24th  of  September  the  trail  of  the  Indians  was  found  north 
east  of  Pierceville,  showing  that  they  had  succeeded  in  crossing  the 
Arkansas,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  Colonel  Lewis,  in  command  of 
all  the  detachments  of  troops  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  started  in 
pursuit,  his  cavalry  having  only  just  arrived  at  Fort  Dodge,  after  a  very 
hard  forced  march  from  Fort  Elliot,  Texas. 

Colonel  Lewis  pursued  rapidly  in  a  northwest  direction,  through 
Kansas,  until  about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  on  September  28th,  when 
he  overtook  the  Cheyennes  on  "  Punished  Woman's  Fork  "  of  the  Smoky 
Hill  River,  where  the  Indians  were  found  very  strongly  intrenched  and 
waiting  for  the  troops.  Colonel  Lewis  attacked  them  at  once,  and  in 
gallantly  leading  an  assault  upon  their  position,  he  was  mortally  wounded, 
dying  the  same  night  whilst  being  conveyed  in  an  ambulance  to  the 
nearest  military  post,  Fort  Wallace,  Kansas;  three  enlisted  men  were 
wounded,  one  Indian  was  found  killed,  and  seventeen  dead  saddle  ponies; 
sixty-two  head  of  stock  were  captured. 

On  the  morning  of  September  28th,  the  senior  surviving  officer, 
Captain  Mauck,  4th  Cavalry,  continued  the  pursuit  and  reached  the 
Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  on  the  morning  of  September  29th,  the  Indians 
having  succeeded  in  passing  between  the  infantry  detachments  patrolling 
the  line  of  that  road,  and  having  crossed  the  track  near  Carlyle,  Kansas, 
during  the  night  of  September  28th. 

All  the  troops  on  the  line  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  under  com 
mand  of  Colonel  Jeff.  C.  Davis,  23d  Infantry,  were  then  pushed  north 
ward  in  pursuit,  as  was  also  the  cavalry  under  Captain  Mauck,  but  the 
Indians  tore  through  the  country,  murdering  arid  devastating  the  settle 
ments  on  the  Beaver,  the  Solomon  and  the  Republican,  killing  every 


92 

settler  they  encountered,  remounting  themselves  with  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  horses  stolen  on  the  way,  and  abandoning  about  sixty  worn 
out  ponies  in  crossing  the  state  of  Kansas. 

On  November  llth,  the  Governor  of  Kansas  in  writing  informed  the 
Honorable  Secretary  of  War  that  in  this  raid  through  his  state  the  Chey- 
ennes  had  murdered  over  forty  men  and  had  ravished  many  women. 

Simultaneously  with  the  escape  from  Fort  Reno,  of  this  party  of 
Northern  Cheyennes,  under  "Dull  Knife"  and  other  chiefs,  a  band  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-two  surrendered  Northern  Cheyennes,  from  Fort 
Keogh,  Montana,  were  also  moving,  with  a  small  military  escort,  towards 
the  Indian  Territory,  to  be  located  on  the  same  reservation  at  Fort  Reno. 
These  Indians  were  at  once  halted  at  Fort  Sidney,  Nebraska,  and  for  a 
time  serious  apprehensions  were  felt  that  they  might  learn  of  the  escape 
of  their  people  from  the  Indian  Territory,  and  attempt  to  unite  with  them. 

The  utmost  activity  prevailed  on  the  part  of  the  few  troops  which 
could  be  collected  upon  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railway,  and  a  train 
of  cars  was  kept  ready  at  Sidney,  with  steam  up,  to  rapidly  throw  all  that 
could  then  be  assembled,  ( about  one  hundred  and  forty  infantry  and 
cavalry,  under  Major  Thornburgh,  4th  Infantry,)  upon  any  point  on  the 
road  where  the  fugitives  from  the  south  might  attempt  to  cross.  General 
Merritt,  with  the  5th  Cavalry,  was  ordered  to  move  as  rapidly  as  possible 
to  Fort  Laramie,  and  Colonel  Carlton,  with  the  3d  Cavalry,  to  Fort 
Robinson,  while  other  troops  in  the  Department  also  joined  in  the 
pursuit. 

In  spite  of  all  precautions,  however,  on  October  4th  the  Cheyennes 
crossed  the  Union  Pacific  Railway  at  Alkali  Station,  a  considerable 
distance  east  of  Sidney.  Within  an  hour  after  receipt  of  the  news,  Major 
Thornburgh,  with  the  troops  at  Sidney,  were  on  board  of  a  train,  hasten 
ing  toward  the  place  of  the  crossing.  Captain  Mauck,  with  the  troops 
following  on  the  trail  from  the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  arrived  only 
a  few  hours  later.  Major  Thornburgh,  with  his  small  detachment  of 
cavalry  and  mounted  infantry,  pushed  ahead  rapidly  upon  the  trail,  the 
rest  of  his  infantry  following  in  wagons  as  fast  as  they  could,  through  a 
very  difficult  country,  selected  by  the  Indians,  full  of  high  hills  of  soft 
sand  and  destitute  of  water  and  grass:  All  of  Thornburgh's  wagons  were 
soon  abandoned  and  his  troops  pressed  on,  from  October  6th,  to  October 
10th,  with  only  such  supplies  as  could  be  carried  on  their  horses.  On 
October  10th,  Thornburgh's  command,  wholly  out  of  rations,  joined  a 
column  of  five  troops  of  the  3d  Cavalry,  under  Major  Carlton,  near  the 
Niobrara  River  where,  finding  further  immediate  pursuit  impracticable, 
the  two  commands  marched  to  Camp  Sheridan,  Nebraska,  having  suffered 
severely  for  want  of  food  and  water,  and  being  completely  worn  out  by 
the  hard  pursuit  through  the  sand  hills.  Captain  Mauck's  command  was 
exhausted  by  their  long  march  all  the  way  from  Texas  and  their  rapid 


93 

chase  of  the  fugitives,  so  they  moved  to  Fort  Sidney,  whence  they  con 
ducted  the  Northern  Cheyenne  prisoners,  held  there,  to  the  Indian 
Territory. 

On  October  15th,  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Robinson  tele 
graphed  that  Indians  had  run  off  stock  in  that  vicinity,  so  Major  Carlton's 
column  of  the  3d  Cavalry  started  from  Camp  Sheridan  for  Fort  Robinson. 
The  same  day  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Sidney  reported  the  capture 
of  two  Cheyennes,  by  a  party  of  cow  boys,  on  Snake  Creek;  the  prisoners 
stated  the  fugitives  had  intended  to  reach  the  Cheyennes  supposed  to  be 
at  Fort  Keogh,  Montana,  where,  if  permitted  to  stay,  they  would  them 
selves  surrender,  otherwise  that  they  should  try  to  join  Sitting  Bull  who 
still  remained  in  the  British  Possessions.  These  prisoners  also  stated, 
through  Mr.  Ben  Clarke,  Cheyenne  Interpreter,  that  they  had  lost  fifteen 
killed  in  the  various  fights  subsequent  to  their  escape  from  Fort  Reno. 

The  fugitives  having  now  eluded  capture  in  both  the  Departments  of 
the  Missouri  and  the  Platte,  the  troops  in  the  Department  of  Dakota 
were  added  to  the  pursuing  forces,  and  on  October  17th,  Major  Tilford, 
with  nine  troops  of  the  7th  Cavalry,  two  companies  of  the  1st,  and  two  of 
the  llth  Infantry,  numbering  four  hundred  and  thirty  enlisted  men, 
reached  Camp  Sheridan,  from  Bear  Buttes,  (Fort  Meade,)  Dakota. 

On  October  18th,  Acting  Indian  Agent  Tibbetts,  Red  Cloud  Agency, 
reported  the  capture,  by  Red  Cloud's  Indians,  of  a  party  of  ten  of  the 
fugitives.  On  October  21st,  Major  Carl  ton  reported  that  "  American 
Horse,"  an  Agency  Indian,  expressed  the  opinion  that  two  parties  of  the 
Cheyennes  had  escaped  northward,  but  that  a  third  party  still  remained 
in  the  Sand  Hills,  and  that  the  Agency  Indians  wanted  to  catch  them,  if 
they  could  keep  their  captured  arms  and  horses.  Major  Carlton  detached 
a  force  in  search  of  this  party,  and  on  October  23d,  Captain  J.  B.  John 
son,  commanding  Troops  "B"  and  "  D,"  3d  Cavalry,  captured  one  hun 
dred  and  forty-nine  of  the  Cheyennes  and  one  hundred  and  forty  head  of 
stock:  Chiefs  "  Dull  Knife,"  "  Old  Crow  "  and  "  Wild  Hog,"  were  among 
the  prisoners.  Their  ponies  were  taken  away,  together  with  such  arms 
as  could  then  be  found,  but  the  prisoners  said  they  would  die,  rather  than 
be  taken  back  to  the  Indian  Territory.  On  October  25th,  when  told  they 
must  go  to  Fort  Robinson,  regarding  this  as  a  step  toward  the  Indian 
Territory,  they  began  digging  rifle  pits  and  constructing  breastworks  in 
their  camp;  a  fight  seemed  inevitable,  but  by  great  coolness  and  good 
judgment,  on  the  part  of  the  officers,  a  collision  was  prevented  :  rein 
forcements,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery  arrived,  when  the  Indians  yielded 
and  accompanied  the  troops  to  Fort  Robinson,  where  all  arms  which 
could  be  found  remaining,  were  taken  from  them  and  the  prisoners  were 
confined  in  an  empty  set  of  barracks.  The  remainder  of  the  fugitives, 
under  "  Little  Wolf,"  succeeded  in  making  their  escape,  by  scattering 


94 

among  the  sand  hills,  where  a  dense  snow  covered  their  trail,  though  troops 
kept  up  the  search  until  numbers  of  the  soldiers  were  badly  frozen. 

On  October  5th,  the  commanding  officer  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  reported 
that  one  boy  and  three  girls,  belonging  to  a  family  named  Dowdy,  were 
killed  by  Indians  at  a  ranch  on  Johnson's  Fork  of  the  Gaudaloupe, 
Texas. 

October  22d,  Major  G.  Ilges,  7th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  of 
troops  from  Fort  Benton,  Montana,  captured  a  camp  of  thirty-five  half- 
breed  Indians,  with  eighty  horses  and  fourteen  guns,  trespassers  in  Mon 
tana,  from  the  British  Possessions.  The  same  day,  John  Sanders,  a  stage 
driver,  was  killed  near  Flat  Rocks,  Texas.  (Reported  by  the  command 
ing  officer  of  Fort  Stockton,  Texas.) 

November  27th,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Ellis,  Montana,  re 
ported  that  "  Ten  Doy,"  a  friendly.  Indian,  had  arrested  seven  hostile 
Bannocks,  disarmed  them  and  sent  them  under  an  Indian  guard,  to  Col 
onel  Miles,  at  Tongue  River. 


±879. 


The  Northern  Cheyennes  held  in  confinement  at  Fort  Robinson,  were 
informed  that  the  Indian  Department  had  directed  their  return  to  the 
country  from  which  they  had  escaped  ;  only  a  few  of  the  prisoners,  how 
ever,  expressed  a  willingness  to  go,  and  upon  attempting  to  remove 
their  effects  from  the  prison  room,  were  forcibly  detained  there  by  the 
other  Indians  who,  fearing  punishment  for  the  crimes  which  they  had 
committed  during  their  flight,  were  determined  to  die,  rather  than  be 
taken  back  to  the  south,  again. 

On  January  9th  it  was  decided  to  arrest  "  Wild  Hog,"  the  principal 
disturber,  and  he  was  securely  ironed  only  after  a  very  severe  struggle, 
in  which  a  soldier  was  stabbed.  The  Indians  in  the  building  used  as  a 
prison,  immediately  barricaded  the  doors  and  covered  the  windows,  to 
conceal  their  movements,  tearing  up  the  floor  and  making  rifle-pits  to 
command  all  the  entrances.  Ai  first  it  was  supposed  the  Indians  had 
only  knives,  but  when  captured  they  had  also  succeeded  in  concealing 
some  pistols  and  carbines;  armed  with  slings  and  other  weapons,  their 
prison  room  was  described  in  an  official  report  as  "like  a  den  of  rattle 
snakes,"  into  which  it  was  certain  death  for  any  white  man  to  enter. 

About  ten  o'clock  on  the  night  of  January  10th,  while  six  sentinels 
were  on  guard  around  the  prison  building,  shots  were  fired  from  the 
windows,  killing  two  of  the  sentinels  and  wounding  a  corporal  in  the 
guard  room.  Simultaneously  a  rush  was  made  from  all  the  windows, 
the  Indians  dashing  out  resolved  to  kill  or  be  killed.  The  guard  and 
the  troops  of  the  garrison  gave  chase,  the  Indians  fleeing  toward  the 
creek  near  the  post,  and  keeping  up  an  incessant  fire  upon  their  pursuers. 
All  refused  to  surrender,  when  called  upon  to  do  so,  and  in  the  various 
struggles  which  took  place,  altogether  five  soldiers  were  killed  and  seven 
wounded ;  thirty-two  Indians  were  killed  and  seventy-one  were  recap 
tured.  The  pursuit  of  the  remainder  was  continued,  and  on  January 
llth,  about  twelve  miles  from  the  post,  they  were  overtaken  in  a  strongly 
intrenched  position,  where  skirmishing  was  kept/up  all  day,  the  Indians 
appearing  to  have  plenty  of  ammunition.  On  January  13th,  Lieuten 
ant  Simpson,  of  the  3d  Cavalry,  attacked  them  and  had  one  corporal 
killed  ;  later  in  the  day  he  struck  them  again  near  the  Hat  Creek  road, 
where  he  had  another  enlisted  man  wounded.  On  January  14th  the 
Indians  were  again  attacked  by  the  troops,  in  a  strongly  intrenched  place, 


96 

about  twenty  miles  from  Fort  Robinson ;  shells  were  fired  into  their 
position,  but  no  damage  appeared  to  be  done  and  during  the  night  they 
again  succeeded  in  making  their  escape.  Of  the  fugitives  only  forty-five 
now  remained  unaccounted  for  by  death  or  capture ;  of  these  nineteen 
were  warriors,  and  all  were  evidently  bent  upon  joining  "  Little  Wolf's" 
band  from  which  they  had  become  separated  whilst  escaping  from  the 
Indian  Territory. 

On  January  18th,  a  lot  of  horses  were  taken  from  a  ranch  on  the 
Sidney  road,  believed  to  be  stolen  by  some  of  Little  Wolfs  band,  and 
troops  from  Fort  D.  A.  Russell  were  sent  in  pursuit. 

On  January  20th,  Major  Evans  with  Troops  "B"  and  "D,"  3d 
Cavalry,  intercepted  the  Cheyennes  who  had  left  Fort  Robinson,  strongly 
posted  upon  some  cliffs  ;  they  escaped,  however,  during  the  night,  toward 
the  Red  Cloud  Agency,  but  Captain  Wessells,  with  Troops  "  A,"  "  E," 
"F,"  and  "H,"  3d  Cavalry,  overtook  them  again  on  January  22d,  near 
the  telegraph  line  from  Fort  Robinson  to  Hat  Creek,  where  they  were 
intrenched  in  a  gully.  They  refused  all  terms  of  surrender,  so  Captain 
Wessells'  force  charged  them  and  killed  or  captured  the  entire  party : 
Captain  Wessells  and  two  men  were  wounded  and  three  enlisted  men 
were  killed ;  twenty-three  Cheyennes  were  killed  and  nine  were  cap 
tured,  three  of  whom  were  wounded.  The  prisoners  reported  that  "Dull 
Knife"  had  been  killed  by  a  shell,  in  the  artillery  attack  upon  their 
position  a  few  days  before. 

February  13th,  "Victoria,"  with  twenty-two  Warm  Spring  Apache 
Indians  who  had  made  their  escape  when  about  being  taken  to  the  San 
Carlos  Agency,  Arizona,  surrendered  to  Lieutenant  Merritt,  9th  Cavalry, 
at  Ojo  Caliente,  New  Mexico ;  after  his  escape,  Victoria  had  been  to 
old  Mexico,  and  now  desired  to  send  to  the  Fort  Stanton  Indian  reserva 
tion,  where  he  believed  there  were  other  Indians  belonging  to  his  band. 
He  was  given  a  pass  to  send  two  of  his  Indians,  and  in  a  few  days  a  total 
of  thirty-nine  Warm  Spring  Indians  were  gathered  at  Ojo  Caliente. 
Learning,  however,  that  the  whole  band  were  to  be  sent  to  the  Stanton 
reservation,  on  April  15th  they  all  broke  away  again  from  Ojo  Caliente 
and  escaped  to  the  San  Mateo  Mountains,  New  Mexico.  Two  troops  of 
the  9th  Cavalry  and  one  company  of  Indian  scouts  were  sent  in  pursuit, 
followed  Victoria  into  Arizona  whence,  joined  by  other  Indians  from  the 
San  Carlos  Agency,  they  all  succeeded  in  escaping  into  old  Mexico. 

March  15th  a  Mexican  herder  was  killed  about  fifty  miles  from  Fort 
Ewell,  Texas. 

March  25th,  near  Box  Elder  Creek,  in  the  Department  of  Dakota, 
Lieutenant  Clark,  2d  Cavalry,  with  Troops  "  E "  and  "  I,"  2d  Cavalry,  a 
detachment  of  infantry,  a  field  gun  and  some  Indian  scouts,  overtook 
"Little  Wolf"  and  his  band  of  Northern  Cheyennes  who  had  escaped 
from  Fort  Reno,  Indian  Territory,  the  previous  autumn,  and  had  thus  far 


97 

eluded  every  attempt  at  capture.  The  Indians  were  persuaded  to  sur 
render  without  fighting  and  gave  up  thirty-five  lodges,  with  all  their 
arms  and  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  ponies,  and  marched  with  the 
troops  to  Fort  Keogh,  Montana.  The  band  numbered  thirty-three  men, 
forty-three  squaws  and  thirty-eight  children. 

For  murdering  two  members  of  this  band,  a  party  of  eight  Indians 
had  been  driven  out  of  Little  Wolfs  camp  previously,  and  this  small 
party,  on  the  5th  of  April,  attacked  a  signal  sergeant  and  a  private  soldier 
of  the  2d  Cavalry,  on  Mizpah  Creek,  killing  the  private,  severely 
wounding  the  sergeant  and  capturing  their  horses.  Sergeant  Glover, 
Troop  "  B,"  2d  Cavalry,  with  ten  men  and  three  Indian  scouts  from 
Fort  Keogh,  pursued  this  small  party  and  captured  them  all  on  April 
10th. 

March  1st,  several  head  of  stock  were  stolen  by  Indians  from 
McDonald  and  Dillon's  ranch  near  Powder  River,  Montana.  March  4th, 
twenty-three  head  of  stock  were  also  stolen  from  Countryman's  ranch, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Stillwater.  March  28th,  Indians  attacked  two  white 
men,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn  River,  killed  one,  named  H.  D. 
Johnson,  and  wounded  the  other,  named  James  Stearns ;  a  man  named 
Dave  Henderson  was  also  killed  the  same  day,  near  Buffalo  Station,  on 
the  Yellowstone.  Horses  were  also  run  off  from  Pease's  Bottom,  near  the 
mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  and  sixty-seven  ponies  were  stolen  from  the 
Crows* at  their  agency.  The  Indians  committing  these  depredations 
were  ascertained  to  be  Sioux  from  the  north,  with  a  few  Nez  Percys; 
Captains  Mix  and  Gregg  with  their  troops  of  the  2d  Cavalry  were 
dispatched  in  pursuit,  but  after  a  very  hard  chase  were  unable  to  over 
take  the  marauders. 

April  4th,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Ellis,  Montana,  reported 
that  Indians  had  stolen  twenty-five  or  thirty  horses,  the  previous  night, 
from  Countryman's  ranch  on  the  Yellowstone,  and  that  a  party  of  citizens 
and  some  friendly  Crow  Indians  had  gone  in  pursuit.  On  April  5th,  the 
same  officer  reported  that  Sioux  and  half-breed  Nez  Perces  had  raided 
the  Crow  Indians  on  the  Stillwater.  On  April  6th,  Indians  also  attacked 
the  ranch  of  Sebezzo  and  Peterson,  near  Powder  River,  killed  the 
former,  wounded  the  latter  and  ran  off  eight  or  ten  head  of  stock. 
The  Indians  were  recognized  as  Gros  Ventres,  and  came  from  the 
Northwest  Territory. 

On  April  10th,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Ellis  reported  that 
Indians  attempted  to  steal  stock  at  Young's  Point,  but  were  discovered 
and  driven  off;  on  April  14th,  seven  horses  were  stolen  by  Indians  on 
Pryor's  Fork  ;  on  April  22d,  the  same  officer  reported  that  some  Crow 
Indian  scouts  had  overtaken  a  party  of  Sioux  who  had  stolen  horses  from 
Countryman's  ranch,  and  had  killed  one  of  the  hostiles. 

Lieutenant  L.  H.  Loder,  7th  Infantry,  with  fourteen  mounted  men, of 


the  3d  and  7th  Infantry,  and  six  Indian  scouts,  pursued  a  party  of  Sioux 
who  had  been  committing  depredations,  and  on  April  17th  attacked  them 
near  Careless  Creek,  at  the  head  of  the  Musselshell  Canon,  Montana,  and 
killed  eight  of  the  hostiles ;  two  of  the  scouts  were  killed  and  one 
wounded. 

May  3d,  Indians  ran  off  twelve  head  of  stock  from  the  east  side  of  the 
Little  Big  Horn :  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Ouster  sent  a  detach 
ment  of  Crow  scouts  in  pursuit,  but  the  thieves  could  not  be  overtaken. 

May  1st,  a  Mexican  teamster  was  killed  between  Fort  Ewell  and 
Corpus  Christi,  Texas.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer  Fort  Mclntosh, 
Texas.) 

May  18th,  John  Clarkson  was  murdered  near  Van  Horn's  Wells, 
Texas.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer  Fort  Davis,  Texas.) 

May  29th,  Captain  Beyer  with  Troop  "C,"  and  a  detachment  of  Troop 
"I,"  9th  Cavalry,  attacked  Victoria's  Apaches  in  the  Miembres  Mount 
ains,  New  Mexico,  captured  the  camp  with  all  the  animals,  and  wounded 
four  Indians,  two  of  them  mortally  :  one  enlisted  man  was  killed  and  two 
wounded.  The  band  fled  into  old  Mexico,  five  of  their  number  being 
killed  near  the  San  Francisco  settlement,  New  Mexico. 

June  1st,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  reported  that 
the  wife  and  two  daughters  of  N.  Colson  were  killed  by  Indians,  near 
Camp  Wood,  Texas. 

June  16th,  a  party  of  Texans  pursued  a  band  of  Indians  and  recap 
tured  nineteen  horses  which  had  been  stolen  near  Fort  McKavett,  Texas. 

June  19th,  a  party  of  ten  Sioux,  with  thirty  stolen  horses,  crossed  the 
Missouri  River  about  eleven  miles  above  Fort  Benton,  Montana  ;  Lieuten 
ant  Van  Orsdale,  7th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  of  eight  men  caught  up 
with  five  of  these  Indians",  killed  one  and  drove  the  rest  into  the  "  Bad 
Lands." 

June  29th,  Indians  stole  seven  head  of  stock  on  the  Little  Big  Horn, 
about  seven  miles  from  Fort  Custer,  Montana :  some  Crow  scouts  also 
had  a  fight  with  a  band  of  Sioux  near  the  head  of  Alkali  Creek,  about 
twenty-five  miles  from  Terry's  Landing,  on  the  Yellowstone,  killed  four 
of  the  hostiles  and  captured  thirty-three  ponies :  one  Crow  scout  was 
killed  and  four  wounded. 

June  30th,  a  man  named  Anglin  was  killed  in  a  fight  with  Indians 
near  the  head  waters  of  the  North  Concho  River,  Texas.  (Reported  by 
the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Concho,  Texas.) 

July  14th,  a  Mexican  woman,  (name  unknown,)  was  killed  about  four 
miles  northeast  of  Fort  Clark,  Texas.  (Reported  by  commanding  officer 
of  Fort  Clark.) 

July  27th,  Captain  Courtney,  25th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  of  ten 
men  of  Troop  "H,"  10th  Cavalry,  had  a  fight  with  Indians  at  the  salt 
lakes  near  the  Carrizo  Mountains,  Texas ;  three  Indians  were  wounded, 


99 

two  of  them  mortally,  and  ten  ponies  were  captured ;  two  enlisted  men 
were  wounded. 

Many  depredations  having  been  recently  committed  by  Indians  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone  Rivers,  it  was  ascertained  that 
large  numbers  of  hostiles,  half-breeds  and  foreign  Indians,  from  British 
Columbia,  including  the  Indians  under  Sitting  Bull,  were  roaming  upon 
United  States  territory,  south  of  the  boundary  line.  From  a  number  of 
reliable  persons  who  had  seen  the  main  hostile  camp,  this  was  estimated 
at  not  less  than  five  thousand  Indians,  of  whom  two  thousand  were 
warriors,  with  twelve  thousand  horses.  Half-breed  Indians  had  also  been 
trading  with  the  hostiles  and  furnishing  them  with  ammunition,  so  in 
July  Colonel  Miles  was  sent  from  Fort  Keogh,  Montana,  with  a  strong 
force  to  break  up  their  camp,  separate  the  doubtful  Indians  from  those 
avowedly  hostile,  and  force  the  foreign  Indians  to  return  north  of  the 
boundary. 

Colonel  Miles'  force  consisted  of  seven  companies  5th  Infantry,  seven 
troops  2d  Cavalry,  a  detachment  of  artillery  and  some  friendly  Indian 
and  white  scouts.  At  Fort  Peck  he  was  joined  by  two  companies  of  the 
6th  Infantry,  and  his  entire  command  then  numbered  thirty-three 
officers,  six  hundred  and  forty-three  enlisted  men  and  one  hundred  and 
forty-three  Indian  and  white  scouts. 

The  hostiles  consisted  of  the  Uncapapas,  under  Sitting  Bull,  the  Min- 
neconjous,  under  "Black  Eagle,"  the  Sans  Arcs,  under  "  Spotted  Eagle," 
and  the  Ogallalas,  under  "Big  Road  "  and  "  Broad  Tail." 

Colonel  Miles  reported  that  the  depredations  of  the  hostiles  hack 
resulted  in  the  killing  of  not  less  than  twenty  men  and  the  stealing  of 
three  hundred  head  of  stock,  all  of  which  had  been  taken  to  the  hostile 
camp. 

As  a  preliminary  step  the  Yanktonnais  camp  of  about  three  or  four 
hundred  lodges,  were  first  moved  to  the  south  side  of  the  Missouri,  about 
June  23d. 

On  July  17th,  the  advance  guard  of  Colonel  Miles'  column,  consisting 
of  a  troop  of  the  2d  Cavalry,  a  company  of  the  5th  Infantry  and  about 
fifty  Indian  scouts,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Clark,  2d  Cavalry,  had  a 
sharp  fight  with  from  three  to  four  hundred  Indians,  between  Beaver  and 
Frenchmen's  Creeks ;  the  Indians  were  pursued  for  twelve  miles,  when 
the  advance  became  surrounded  :  Colonel  Miles  moved  forward  rapidly 
arid  the  hostiles  fled  north  of  Milk  River.  Several  of  the  enemy  were 
killed  and  a  large  amount  of  their  property  abandoned;  two  enlisted  men 
and  one  Indian  scout  were  wounded  and  three  Indian  scouts  killed. 
Sitting  Bull  himself  was  present  in  this  engagement. 

On  July  31st,  Colonel  Miles  reported  that  the  main  hostile  camp  had 
retreated  north,  across  the  boundary,  to  Wood  Mountain  ;  the  column 


100 

followed  and  halted  on  the  main  trail  at  the  British  line,  whence  it 
returned  to  Milk  River. 

Attention  was  then  turned  to  the  camps  of  the  half-breeds  which  had 
formed  a  cordon  of  out-posts  around  the  main  hostile  camp,  furnishing 
the  latter  with  the  supplies  of  war.  On  August  4th,  Captain  Ovenshine, 
5th  Infantry,  with  a  portion  of  Colonel  Miles'  command,  arrested  a  band 
of  half-breeds  on  Porcupine  Creek,  capturing  one  hundred  and  forty- 
three  carts  and  one  hundred  and  ninety-three  horses.  On  August  5th, 
four  camps  of  half-breeds  were  arrested,  numbering  three  hundred  and 
eight  carts.  On  August  8th,  Colonel  Miles  reported  the  total  number  of 
half-breeds  arrested  by  various  detachments,  eight  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine,  with  six  hundred  and  sixty-five  carts. 

On  August  14th,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Whistler,  5th  Infantry,  with 
part  of  Colonel  Miles'  command,  captured  a  band  of  fifty-seven  Indians 
with  one  hundred  ponies,  who  had  left  the  Rosebud  Agency  and  were  in 
the  act  of  crossing  the  Missouri,  near  Poplar  Creek,  on  their  way  to  join 
Sitting  Bull  in  the  north. 

On  August  28th  it  was  officially  reported  that  extensive  fires  were 
raging  in  the  mountains  west  of  Hot  Sulphur  Springs,  Colorado,  the  work 
of  Indian  incendiaries.  On  September  10th,  Mr.  N.  C.  Meeker,  agent 
for  the  White  River  Utes,  wrote  to  the  Governor  of  Colorado  that 
Indians  had  fired  upon  an  agency  employe,  whilst  plowing,  that  his 
house  had  been  attacked,  himself  driven  out  of  doors  and  injured  con 
siderably.  Mr.  Meeker  stated  that  the  lives  of  the  people  at  the  agency 
were  in  danger  and  that  at  least  one  hundred  soldiers  should  be  sent 
there  to  protect  the  people  ;  he  therefore  requested  the  governor  of 
Colorado  to  confer  with  General  Pope,  commanding  the  Department 
of  the  Missouri,  and  with  Senator  Teller  of  Colorado,  with  the  object  of 
obtaining  the  required  aid. 

On  September  16th,  directions  were  given  by  the  Honorable  Secretary 
of  War,  in  compliance  with  request  from  the  Interior  Department,  for 
the  nearest  military  commander  to  send  a  force  to  the  White  River 
Agency,  to  protect  the  agent  and  to  arrest  the  ringleaders  of  the  Indians 
who  had  committed  the  outrages  reported.  Accordingly  General  Crook, 
commanding  the  Department  of  the  Platte,  ordered  Major  T.  T.  Thorn- 
burgh,  4th  Infantry,  with  Troops  "  D  "  and  "  F,"  5th  Cavalry,  "  E,"  3d 
Cavalry,  and  Company  u  E,"  4th  Infantry,  to  proceed  to  the  White  River 
Agency,  Colorado.  This  force,  numbering  about  two  hundred  officers 
and  men,  left  Fort  Fred  Steele,  Wyoming,  September  21st,  and  reached 
Fortification  Creek,  Colorado,  September  25th.  The  infantry  company 
numbering  about  thirty  men  was  left  there,  to  establish  a  supply  camp, 
and  the  cavalry  proceed  to  Bear  Creek,  September  26th.  During  the 
afternoon  of  September  26th,  several  Ute  Indians  of  prominence  came 
into  the  cavalry  camp,  talked  freely  with  Major  Thornburgh,  on  the 


101 

subject  of  the  troops  coming  to  the  agency,  and  departed  about  night, 
apparently  in  good  humor.  At  Williams  Fork  of  Bear  River,  the  next 
day,  September  27th,  an  employe  of  the  White  River  Agency,  named 
Eskridge,  accompanied  by  several  prominent  Ute  Indians,  arrived  with 
a  letter  from  the  agent,  Mr.  Meeker,  to  Major  Thornburgh,  stating  that 
the  Indians  at  the  agency  were  greatly  excited  and  wished  the  advance 
of  the  troops  stopped,  though  agreeing  to  a  proposition  that  the  com 
manding  officer  with  five  soldiers  should  come  to  the  agency.  Major 
Thornburgh  replied  that  he  would  camp  his  command  at  some  convenient 
place,  the  following  day,  and  proceed  on  September  29th  to  the  agency, 
with  only  five  men  and  a  guide,  as  suggested ;  but  he  also  renewed  a 
former  request  for  Mr.  Meeker  with  such  chiefs  as  the  latter  might  select, 
to  come  out  and  meet  the  command  on  the  road. 

On  September  29th,  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Meeker 
accordingly  wrote  that  he  would  leave  the  agency,  with  several  chiefs, 
on  the  following  morning,  to  meet  Major  Thornburgh. 

On  September  28th  the  cavalry  camped  at  Deer  Creek,  and  on  the 
29th  reached  Milk  River,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  After 
watering  the  horses,  Troop  "  D,"  5th  Cavalry,  was  left  to  continue  the 
march  along  the  road  with  the  wagons,  while  Major  Thornburgh,  with 
the  rest  of  the  cavalry,  turned  off  from  the  road,  taking  a  trail  which  bore 
away  to  the  left.  After  placing  a  mile  between  themselves  and  the 
wagons,  the  troops  with  Major  Thornburgh,  in  crossing  a  high  ridge 
commanding  the  main  road  along  which  the  wagons  were  traveling,  came 
suddenly  upon  the  Indians  in  heavy  force. 

The  whole  attitude  of  the  Indians  was  hostile,  so  Major  Thornburgh 
at  once  dismounted  and  deployed  his  men,  but  at  the  same  time  tried  to 
open  communication  with  the  Indians.  His  overtures  were,  however, 
met  by  a  volley  and  a  hot  engagement  at  once  began.  The  Indians  had 
not  only  the  advantage  of  position  but  were  superior  in  numbers  to  the 
troops  in  advance,  so  Major  Thornburgh  determined  to  withdraw  and 
join  the  escort  with  the  wagon  train.  The  skirmish  line  retired  slowly, 
leading  their  horses,  but  returning  a  fire  which  did  great  execution 
among  the  Indians.  Failing  to  break  the  line  of  skirmishers,  the  Indians 
attempted  to  get  between  them  and  the  wagon  train,  which  had  gone 
into  park  on  the  right  bank  of  Milk  River.  The  Indians  took  a  strong 
position  commanding  Thornburgh's  line  of  retreat,  and  a  charge  by  about 
twenty  men  under  Captain  Payne  was  ordered,  so  as  to  clear  a  command 
ing  knoll  of  Indians,  reach  the  train  and  arrange  for  its  protection.  This 
was  done  and  Major  Thornburgh  himself  started  for  the  train  soon  after 
giving  this  order,  but  he  was  shot  and  instantly  killed,  just  after  crossing 
the  river  and  when  within  five  hundred  yards  of  the  wagons. 

The  line  of  skirmishers  in  front  commanded  by  Captain  Lawson,  3d 
Cavalry,  steadily  fell  back  toward  the  wagons,  their  retreat  skillfully 


102 

covered  by  a  detachment  under  Lieutenant  Cherry  of  the  5th  Cavalry. 
The  wagons  were  formed  into  an  elliptical  corral,  about  two  hundred 
yards  from  the  river,  the  side  toward  the  stream  being  exposed  to  a 
furious  fire  from  the  Indians  who  were  making  determined  efforts  to 
capture  and  destroy  the  train.  The  animals  were  crowded  in  the  space 
formed  by  the  wagons ;  about  twenty  or  more  which  were  wounded 
were  led  out  upon  the  open  side  of  the  corral,  toward  the  Indians  and 
shot  there,  to  form  a  slight  defence  for  some  of  the  men  acting  as  sharp 
shooters  ;  the  wagons  were  unloaded  and  with  their  contents  slight 
breastworks  were  hastily  made,  the  Indians  keeping  up  a  most  destruc 
tive  fire  under  which  officers  and  men  rapidly  fell. 

A  high  wind  was  blowing,  at  this  time,  and  the  Indians  set  fire  to  the 
tall  grass  and  sage  bush  down  the  valley,  the  flames  spreading  rapidly 
toward  the  troops,  igniting  bundles,  grain  sacks,  wagon  covers  and  other 
combustibles,  threatening  the  train  with  entire  destruction.  The  Indians 
attacked  the  command  furiously,  at  this  critical  moment,  but  the  troops 
succeded  in  extinguishing  the  flames  among  the  wagons,  with  considera 
ble  loss  to  themselves  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  Indian  supply  train 
of  Mr.  John  Gordon  was  parked,  within  seventy-five  yards  of  the  posi 
tion  of  the  troops ;  to  prevent  the  Indians  obtaining  a  lodgement  there, 
the  train  was  ordered  set  on  fire  and  destroyed. 

From  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  until  nightfall,  the  Indians  kept 
up  a  constant  fire  upon  the  position  of  the  troops,  killing  fully  three- 
fourths  of  their  animals.  At  dark  a  large  body  of  Indians  charged  down 
from  behind  Gordon's  burning  train,  delivering  volley  after  volley,  but 
they  were  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  several  warriors  seen  to  fall  from 
their  saddles. 

During  the  night  a  supply  of  water  was  obtained,  better  intrench- 
ments  dug,  the  wounded  cared  for,  dead  animals  dragged  away,  ammuni 
tion  and  rations  distributed  and,  at  midnight,  couriers  slipped  away 
toward  the  railroad,  with  dispatches  reporting  what  had  occurred  and 
asking  for  aid. 

The  whole  of  the  following  day,  September  30th,  the  Indians  kept  up 
an  almost  incessant  fire,  killing  all  of  the  remaining  animals  excepting 
fourteen  mules ;  during  the  night  of  September  30th,  the  Indians  sus 
pended  firing,  but  after  that  time  gave  the  troops  no  rest.  At  night  on 
October  1st,  a  small  party,  while  procuring  water,  were  fired  upon  at  close 
range  and  one  man  wounded,  but  the  guards  returned  the  fire,  killing 
one  of  the  Indians. 

On  October  1st,  Captain  Dodge  and  Lieutenant  Hughes,  with  Troop 
"  D,"  9th  Cavalry,  who  had  been  scouting  in  that  section  of  country,  met 
the  couriers  who  had  left  the  intrenched  position  on  Milk  River.  Appa 
rently  camping  for  the  night,  to  deceive  any  Indians  near  him,  Captain 
Dodge  issued  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  rounds  ammunition  and  three 


103 

days  rations  to  each  man,  and  after  dark  pushed  for  Milk  River,  with  but 
two  officers,  thirty-five  men  and  four  citizens.  At  four  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  October  2d,  they  reached  the  main  road  about  five  miles  from 
the  intrenchment  on  Milk  River,  and  found  the  dead  bodies  of  three 
men,  near  a  train  loaded  with  annuity  goods,  burned  by  the  Indians. 
Half  an  hour  later  Captain  Dodge  arrived  at  the  intrenchments  and  suc 
ceeded  in  forming  a  junction  with  the  troops  there.  Captain  Dodge  was 
hardly  inside  the  trenches,  when  the  Indians  opened  a  fire  which  was 
kept  up  at  intervals  for  the  next  three  days,  killing  all  but  four  of 
Dodge's  forty-two  animals,  and  these  four  were  wounded. 

The  following  were  the  casualties  in  Major  Thornburgh's  command  : 
killed,  Major  T.  T.  Thornburgh,  4th  Infantry,  and  nine  enlisted  men. 
Wounded,  Captain  Payne  and  Second  Lieutenant  Paddock,  5th  Cavalry, 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Grimes  and  forty  enlisted  men.  Wagonmaster 
McKinstry,  guide  Lowry  and  one  teamster  were  killed  and  two  teamsters 
wounded  ;  total,  twelve  killed  and  forty-three  wounded.  The  strength 
of  the  Indians,  who  were  well  armed  and  supplied  with  abundant  ammu 
nition,  was  estimated  in  the  official  report  of  the  affair  at  from  three 
hundred  to  three  hundred  and  fifty ;  the  Indians  themselves  afterward 
admitted  a  loss  of  thirty-seven  killed. 

The  couriers  sent  out  on  the  night  of  September  29th  succeeded  in 
getting  through  safely.  As  quickly  as  possible  after  receipt  of  orders  at 
Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming,  Colonel  W.  Merritt,  with  Troops  "  A," 
"  B,"  "  I,"  and  "  M,"  5th  Cavalry,  was  upon  a  special  train  for  Rawlins. 
From  this  point,  by  a  march  of  almost  unparalleled  rapidity,  in  something 
over  forty-eight  hours  Colonel  Merritt's  column,  consisting  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  of  whom  were 
infantry  following  in  wagons,  marched  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles 
over  a  most  difficult  road  and  reached  the  command  at  Milk  River,  at 
half-past  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  October  5th. 

In  anticipation  of  a  general  war  with  the  Utes,  a  force  consisting  of 
nearly  two  thousand  cavalry  and  infantry,  was  hurried  to  Rawlins;  of 
these,  1,428  took  the  field,  with  Colonel  Merritt,  while  526  remained 
at  Rawlins,  under  command  of  Colonel  Brackett,  3d  Cavalry.  Another 
force,  aggregating  1,109  cavalry  and  infantry,  commanded  by  Colonels  E. 
Hatch,  9th  Cavalry,  R.  S.  Mackenzie,  4th  Cavalry,  and  G.  P.  Buell,  15th 
Infantry,  was  also  despatched  to  the  Ute  country,  from  the  Department 
of  the  Missouri,  to  watch  the  confederated  bands  of  Utes  in  Southern 
Colorado,  should  they  attempt  to  join  the  White  River  Utes,  in  the 
hostilities  which  the  latter  had  begun. 

Colonel  Merritt's  light  advance  column  having  reached  Milk  River, 
the  crippled  command  there  with  the  wounded  were  sent  back  to  the 
railroad  at  Rawlins.  Other  troops  having  joined  Colonel  Merritt,  making 
his  force  strong  enough  for  an  advance  against  the  hostiles,  he  proceeded 


104 

to  the  White  River  Agency,  the  Indians  all  having-  disappeared  before  the 
troops.  It  was  found  that  the  Indians  had  burned  and  utterly  destroyed 
the  agency,  had  killed  the  employe's  and  the  agent,  Mr.  Meeker,  and  had 
carried  off  all  the  females  into  the  horrors  of  savage  captivity.  Colonel 
Merritt's  command  buried  the  bodies  of  seven  men,  including  that  of 
Mr.  Meeker. 

Colonel  Merritt  was  about  moving  against  the  hostiles,  when  his 
operations  were  suspended  at  the  request  of  the  Indian  Department, 
pending  special  negotiations  with  the  Utes  for  release  of  the  captive 
females  and  surrender  of  the  ringleaders  in  the  late  outrages. 

While  these  negotiations  were  in  progress,  however,  on  October  20th 
a  reconnoitering  party  from  Colonel  Merritt's  command,  under  Lieutenant 
Hall,  5th  Cavalry,  was  attacked  by  the  Indians  about  twenty  miles  from 
White  River ;  they  defended  themselves  until  night,  when  they  suc 
ceeded  in  returning  to  camp,  but  with  the  loss  of  Lieutenant  W.  B. 
Weir  of  the  Ordnance  Department  and  the  chief  scout  Humme,  both  of 
whom  were  killed  ;  two  Indians  were  reported  killed  by  Lieutenant  Hall's 
party  during  the  fight. 

In  September  New  Mexico  was  again  raided  by  Victoria  with  his 
band  of  Indians  from  old  Mexico,  reinforced  by  Mescaleros  and  some 
Chiricahuas. 

On  September  4th  the  herd  guard  of  Troop  "  E,"  9th  Cavalry,  Captain 
Hooker,  commanding,  were  attacked  near  Ojo  Caliente,  New  Mexico ; 
eight  men  were  killed  and  forty-six  horses  captured  by  the  Indians. 

On  September  17th,  Major  Morrow,  9th  Cavalry,  reported  that  near 
Hillsboro,  New  Mexico,  a  fight  occurred  between  a  party  of  citizens  and 
about  one  hundred  Apaches ;  the  hostiles  killed  ten  of  the  citizens  and 
captured  all  of  their  stock. 

On  September  18th,  Captain  Dawson,  with  two  troops  of  the  9th  Cav 
alry,  struck  Victoria  with  about  one  hundred  and  forty  Apaches,  at  the 
head  of  Las  Animas  River,  New  Mexico ;  Captain  Beyer,  with  two 
more  troops  of  the  9th  Cavalry,  arrived  and  took  part  in  the  fight,  but 
the  Indians  having  the  advantage  of  a  very  strong  position,  the  troops 
were  obliged  to  withdraw,  during  the  night,  with  a  loss  of  five  men  killed 
and  one  wounded,  thirty-two  horses  killed  and  six  wounded,  and  two 
Navajoe  scouts  and  one  citizen  killed. 

On  September  26th,  Major  Morrow,  9th  Cavalry,  with  six  officers  and 
one  hundred  and  ninety-one  men,  attacked  Victoria  not  far  from  Ojo 
Caliente,  New  Mexico,  and  after  two  days  of  fighting,  killed  three 
Indians  and  captured  sixty  horses  and  mules,  among  them  twelve  or 
more  of  those  previously  lost  by  Captain  Hooker.  On  September  30th, 
one  of  Morrow's  videttes  was  killed,  whilst  on  post,  the  hostiles  again 
retreating  before  the  troops.  On  October  1st  the  scouts  captured  a 
squaw  and  a  child,  from  whom  the  position  of  the  Indians  was  learned, 


105 

and  by  a  quick  night  march,  Victoria's  strongly  fortified  camp  was  cap 
tured,  the  Indians  escaping,  however,  in  the  dark. 

Morrow's  force,  reduced  to  less  than  one  hundred  available  men, 
continued  pursuit  of  the  hostiles,  following  them,  by  very  hard  marches, 
into  old  Mexico,  and  on  October  27th  again  overtook  Victoria,  about 
twelve  miles  from  the  Corralitos  River,  Mexico.  With  about  forty  men 
Morrow  charged  the  Indian  breastworks,  in  the  moonlight,  and  drove  the 
Indians  from  them,  losing  himself  one  scout  killed  and  two  wounded. 
The  command  had  been  three  days  and  nights  without  water,  ammunition 
was  nearly  exhausted  and  men  and  animals  were  utterly  worn  out,  so  the 
troops  returned,  reaching  Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico,  November  3d. 


1  S  SO. 


On  January  2d,  Victoria  and  his  Indians  were  again  reported  raiding 
in  southern  New  Mexico.  All  the  cavalry  in  that  section  were  pushed 
after  him  and  on  January  12th,  a  force  commanded  by  Major  Morrow, 
9th  Cavalry,  struck  Victoria  near  the  head  of  Puerco  River,  killing  and 
wounding  several  of  the  hostiles,  the  troops  losing  one  enlisted  man 
killed  and  one  Indian  scout  wounded  ;  the  fight  lasted  from  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  until  sunset,  when  the  Indians  escaped.  On  January 
17th,  Major  Morrow's  force  again  struck  Victoria  in  the  San  Mateo 
Mountains,  New  Mexico,  and  drove  him  from  his  position,  but  with  what 
loss  could  not  be  learned.  Lieutenant  French,  9th  Cavalry,  was  killed 
and  two  scouts  wounded. 

February  3d,  a  war  party  of  Uncapapas  attacked  some  citizens  on 
Powder  River,  Montana ;  Sergeant  Glover,  Troop  "  B,"  2d  Cavalry,  with 
eight  men  and  eleven  Indian  scouts,  pursued  the  hostiles  for  sixty-five 
miles  and  surrounded  them  near  Pumpkin  Creek,  killing  one  Indian  and 
wounding  two,  losing  one  soldier  killed  and  one  wounded ;  three  Indians 
were  prevented  from  escaping  until  the  arrival  of  Captain  Snyder,  with  a 
company  of  the  5th  Infantry,  when  they  all  surrendered. 

February  6th,  a  band  of  Sioux  stole  fifteen  horses  from  settlers  in 
Pease's  Bottom,  on  the  Yellowstone,  and  a  number  of  horses  from  camp 
at  Terry's  Landing ;  Crow  Indian  scouts  pursued  and  overtook  the 
Sioux,  near  Porcupine  Creek  and  killed  or  recaptured  all  of  the  stolen 
stock. 

March  3d,  Companies  "  I  "  and  "  K,"  5th  Infantry,  left  Fort  Keogh, 
Montana,  in  pursuit  of  hostile  Indians  north  of  the  Yellowstone,  and  on 
March  8th,  after  a  continuous  gallop  of  forty  miles,  Company  "K"  suc 
ceeded  in  surrounding  the  Indians,  captured  thirteen  ponies  and  sixteen 
mules. 

Martfli  4th,  two  citizens  were  attacked  by  Indians  on  Alkali  Creek, 
Montana^  and  one  of  the  men  wounded. 

March  5th,  Lieutenant  Miller,  5th  Infantry,  with  nine  soldiers  and 
eight  Indian  scouts,  attacked  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  thirty  miles  west 
of  the  Rosebud,  Montana,  killed  three  of  the  hostiles  and  eight  of  the 
ponies,  captured  some  arms  and  a  large  amount  of  ammunition,  and 
destroyed  the  hostile  camp;  two  Indian  scouts  were  killed  in  the  affair;  the 
Indians  escaped  across  the  Yellowstone,  and  were  closely  pursued  by  Cap 
tains  Baldwin,  5th  Infantry,  and  Hamilton,  2d  Cavalry.  On  March  9th, 


108 

Captain  Baldwin  overtook  the  Indians,  on  Little  Porcupine  Creek,  chased 
them  for  thirty  miles  and  captured  all  their  animals,  excepting  those  on 
which  they  escaped. 

March  13th,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  reported 
the  killing  of  a  Mexican  boy,  a  sheep  herder,  near  Russell's  ranch,  Texas. 

March  24th,  a  party  of  thirty  or  forty  Sioux  ran  of  about  thirty  ponies 
belonging  to  the  enlisted  Crow  scouts  at  Fort  Custer,  Montana ;  Captain 
J.  Mix  with  Troop  "  M,"  2d  Cavalry,  numbering  forty-four  officers  and 
men,  started  in  pursuit  and  after  traveling  sixty-five  miles  in  eleven 
hours,  overtook  and  engaged  the  hostiles,  recapturing  sixteen  of  the 
stolen  stock.  These  Indians  were  also  pursued  by  Lieutenant  Coale, 
with  Troop  "  C,"  2d  Cavalry,  from  Fort  Custer,  and  by  Captain  Huggins, 
with  Troop  "  E,"  2d  Cavalry,  from  Fort  Keogh  ;  Captain  Huggins  sur 
prised  the  camp,  April  1st,  captured  five  Indians,  forty-six  ponies  and 
some  arms ;  Lieutenant  Coale  had  an  engagement,  April  1st,  on  a  fork 
of  O'Fallon's  Creek,  when  one  enlisted  man  was  killed. 

The  Mescalero  Agency  at  the  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  Reservation, 
had  largely  served  as  a  base  of  supplies  and  recruits  for  the  raiding 
parties  of  Victoria,  and  it  was  determined,  with  the  consent  of  the  Indian 
Department,  to  disarm  and  dismount  the  Indians  there.  Pursuant  to 
directions  from  Headquarters  Military  Division  of  the  Missouri.  Generals 
Pope  and  Ord,  commanding  the  Departments  of  the  Missouri  and  Texas, 
arranged  that  a  force  under  Colonel  E.  Hatch,  9th  Cavalry,  numbering 
four  hundred  cavalry,  sixty  infantry  and  seventy-five  Indian  scouts, 
should  arrive  at  the  Mescalero  Agency  simultaneously  with  Colonel 
Grierson,  10th  Cavalry,  and  a  force  of  the  10th  Cavalry  and  25th  Infantry, 
numbering  two  hundred  and  eighty  officers  and  men,  from  the  Depart 
ment  of  Texas. 

On  March  31st,  Colonel  Grierson's  column,  whilst  passing  Pecos  Falls, 
Texas,  learned  of  the  stealing  of  stock  from  citizens  in  that  vicinity,  the 
previous  night,  and  Lieutenant  Esterly,  with  a  detachment  from  Troops 
"F"  and  "  L,"  10th  Cavalry,  was  sent  in  pursuit.  On  the  third  day 
Lieutenant  Esterly  overtook  the  Indians,  one  of  whom  was  killed  and 
eight  head  of  stolen  stock  were  recovered. 

On  April  6th,  Colonel  Grierson  detached  Captain  Lebo,  with  Troop 
"  K,"  10th  Cavalry,  to  scout  near  the  line  of  march,  and  on  April  9th 
Captain  Lebo  attacked  a  camp  of  Indians  at  Shakehand  Spring,  about 
forty  miles  south  of  the  Penasco,  Texas,  killed  the  chief  of  the  band, 
captured  four  squaws  and  one  child,  and  between  twenty  and  thirty 
head  of  stock,  destroyed  the  camp  and  recovered  a  Mexican  boy,  named 
Coyetano  Garcia,  who  had  been  taken  captive  by  the  Indians. 

On  April  8th,  Colonel  Hatch's  command  struck  Victoria  in  a  strongly 
fortified  position  in  the  San  Andreas  Mountains,  New  Mexico ;  three 
Indians  were  killed,  Captain  Carroll,  9th  Cavalry,  and  seven  men  were 


109 

wounded  and  twenty-five  horses  and  mules  belonging  to  the  troops  were 
killed ;  many  of  the  Mescaleros  and  some  Comanches  were  in  the  fight ; 
their  trail  was  followed  to  the  Mescalero  Agency. 

On  April  16th,  Colonels  Hatch  and  Grierson,  having  duly  arrived  at 
the  Mescalero  Agency,  the  attempt  was  made  to  disarm  and  dismount 
the  Indians,  but  a  desperate  effort  was  made  by  the  Indians  to  escape, 
and  ten  warriors  were  killed,  some  forty  more  escaping ;  about  two 
hundred  ponies  and  mules  were  taken  away  from  the  Indians  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty  Indians,  men,  women  and  children,  were  taken  into 
the  agency  ;  from  twenty  to  thirty  guns,  carbines  and  pistols  were  cap 
tured  from  the  Indians  and  turned  over  to  their  agent.  Major  Morrow, 
with  a  portion  of  Colonel  Hatch's  force,  pursued  the  escaping  Indians 
and  overtook  them  in  Dog  Canon,  killed  three  warriors  and  captured 
twenty-five  more  head  of  stock.  One  party  of  the  fugitives  was  pursued 
and  attacked  by  a  detachment  of  Troop  "  L,"  10th  Cavalry,  commanded 
by  Lieutenant  Maxon ;  one  Indian  was  killed  and  five  horses  captured. 

May  13th,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  reported 
that  Mr.  Jas.  Grant  and  Mrs.  H.  Graham  were  killed,  and  H.  Graham 
and  D.  Murphy  wounded  by  Indians  in  Bass'  Canon,  Texas. 

After  the  disarming  and  dismounting  of  the  Indians  at  the  Mescalero 
Agency,  Colonel  Hatch  began  again  the  pursuit  of  Victoria,  assisted  by 
troops  from  the  Department  of  Arizona,  but  the  campaign  resolved  itself 
into  a  chase  of  the  hostiles  from  one  range  of  mountains  to  another,  with 
frequent  skirmishes,  but  no  decisive  fights,  until  the  Indians  again 
escaped  into  old  Mexico,  the  Mexican  government  declining  to  allow 
further  pursuit  on  their  territory.  One  fight  took  place  on  May  24th,  at 
the  head  of  Polomas  River,  New  Mexico,  when  fifty-five  Indians  were 
reported  killed.  On  June  5th,  Major  Morrow,  with  four  troops  9th  Cav 
alry,  struck  the  hostiles  at  Cook's  Canon,  New  Mexico,  killed  ten  and 
wounded  three  ;  one  of  the  killed  was  a  son  of  Victoria ;  a  quantity  of 
stock  was  also  captured. 

June  llth,  Lieutenant  Mills,  24th  Infantry,  with  a  detachment  of 
Pueblo  scouts,  en  route  to  join  Colonel  Grierson's  command,  was  attacked 
by  Indians  in  Canon  Viejo,  southwest  of  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  his  principal 
guide  killed  and  several  horses  wounded. 

July  31st,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  reported  that 
E.  C.  Baker,  stage  driver,  and  Frank  Wyant,  a  passenger,  were  killed 
by  Victoria's  Indians  eight  miles  west  of  Eagle  Springs,  Texas. 

July  31st,  Colonel  Grierson,  10th  Cavalry,  with  a  small  party  of  six 
men,  was  attacked  by  Victoria's  Indians  between  Quitman  and  Eagle 
Springs,  Texas ;  Lieutenant  Finley,  with  a  detachment  of  fifteen  men  of 
Troop  "  G,"  J  Oth  Cavalry,  came  up,  engaged  the  Indians  and  held  them 
in  check  until  the  arrival  of  Captain  Viele  and  Captain  Nolan,  with  two 
troops  of  the  10th  Cavalry,  when,  in  an  engagement  lasting  four  hours, 


110 

seven  Indians  were  killed,  a  large  number  wounded  and  the  hostiles 
pursued  to  the  Rio  Grande.  Lieutenant  Colladay,  10th  Cavalry,  was 
wounded  and  one  enlisted  man  killed ;  ten  horses  of  the  troops  were 
killed  and  five  animals  wounded. 

Colonel  Grierson's  troops  continued  the  pursuit,  and  on  August  3d,  a 
detachment  of  cavalry  and  scouts  had  a  fight  near  the  Alamo,  one  soldier 
being  wounded  and  one  missing ;  several  Indians  and  ponies  were  shot. 
The  same  day  Captain  Lebo  with  Troop  "  K,"  10th  Cavalry,  followed  an 
Indian  trail  to  the  top  of  the  Sierra  Diabolo,  Texas,  captured  Victoria's 
supply  camp  of  twenty-five  head  of  cattle,  a  large  quantity  of  beef  and 
other  provisions  on  pack  animals,  and  pursued  the  Indians  to  Escondido. 

On  August  4th,  a  detachment  of  Captain  Kennedy's  troop  of  the  10th 
Cavalry,  struck  the  Indians  near  Bowen  Springs,  Guadaloupe  Mountains, 
Texas,  the  detachment  had  one  man  killed  and  several  horses  shot; 
Captain  Kennedy  attacked  and  pursued  the  hostiles  toward  the  Sacra 
mento  Mountains,  killing  two  Indians  and  shooting  and  capturing  a  few 
ponies. 

On  August  6th,  the  Indians  were  struck  again  in  Rattlesnake  Canon 
and  scattered  in  every  direction ;  a  train  guarded  by  Company  "  H,"  24th 
Infantry,  Captain  Gilmore,  was  then  attacked  by  the  Indians  near  this 
point,  but  the  hostiles  were  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  one  killed  and  several 
wounded  ;  altogether  four  Indians  were  killed,  many  were  wounded  and 
some  ponies  captured. 

On  August  9th,  the  commanding  officer  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  reported 
that  General  Byrne,  of  Fort  Worth,  Texas,  was  killed  by  Indians  near 
old  Fort  Quitman. 

On  August  llth,  Captain  Nolan,  with  Troops  -1K,"  8th  Cavalry,  "A," 
10th  Cavalry,  some  Lipan  scouts  and  Texas  rangers,  struck  Victoria's 
trail  and  pursued  the  hostiles  to  the  Rio  Grande,  twelve  miles  below 
Quitman,  August  13th,  when  the  band  were  again  driven  into  old 
Mexico. 

August  1st,  company  "  H,"  5th  Infantry,  left  camp  on  Redwater. 
Montana,  and  marched  toward  Poplar  Creek  Agency,  Montana.  It 
returned  to  Fort  Keogh  August  14th,  bringing  in  twenty  lodges  of 
surrendered  hostile  Indians.  The  same  day  Troop  "  E,"  3d  Cavalry,  left 
camp  on  Willow  Creek,  Montana,  and  marched  to  the  Missouri  River, 
capturing  twenty-four  lodges  of  Minneconjous,  numbering  one  hundred 
and  forty  persons,  returning  with  them  to  Fort  Keogh,  August  14th. 

August  16th,  Sergeant  Devlin,  Troop  "F,"  7th  Cavalry,  with  a  de 
tachment  of  eight  men  and  three  Indian  scouts,  followed  a  war  party  of 
Sioux  and  and  struck  them  near  the  folks  of  the  Box  Elder  Creek,  Mon 
tana,  killed  two,  wounded  one  and  recaptured  seven  head  of  stock. 

August  19th,  a  detachment  of  Indian  scouts  struck  a  war  party  north 


Ill 

of  the  mouth  of  O'Fallon  Creek,  Montana,  and  recaptured  eleven  head  of 
stock. 

September  8th,  "Big  Road"  and  two  hundred  Sioux,  surrendered  to 
the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Keogh,  Montana. 

October  26th,  at  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  twenty-four  Apaches, 
consisting  of  seven  men  and  seventeen  squaws  and  children,  surrendered 
to  the  commanding  officer  at  the  Mescalero  Agency. 

October  29th,  a  party  of  from  thirty-five  to  fifty  Indians,  supposed  to 
be  a  remnant  of  Victoria's  band,  attacked  a  picket  party  of  twelve  men 
belonging  to  the  command  of  Captain  Baldwin,  10th  Cavalry,  near  Ojo 
Caliente,  Texas  ;  one  Corporal  and  three  private  soldiers  were  killed. 
Captain  Baldwin  followed  the  Indians  to  the  Rio  Grande,  across  which 
they  escaped. 

November  llth,  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  llth  Infantry,  with  a  detach 
ment  consisting  of  twelve  men,  2d  Cavalry,  and  ten  Crow  scouts,  was 
attacked  by  a  war  party  of  Sioux  near  the  mouth  of  the  Musselshell, 
Montana,  and  had  one  horse  killed  and  three  wounded ;  one  of  the 
hostiles  was  reported  killed. 


1  8S  1. 


The  Indians  who  had  broken  away,  after  the  Sioux  war  of  1876-77, 
and  had  taken  refuge  in  the  British  possessions,  kept  sending  out  raiding 
parties  which  committed  depredations  as  far  south  as  the  Yellowstone 
and,  when  pursued  by  the  troops,  escaped  again  into  the  Northwest 
Territory. 

In  September,  1880,  a  scout  named  Allison  went  from  Fort  Buford  to 
communicate  with  Sitting  Bull  and  other  chiefs  and,  if  possible,  to  induce 
the  hostiles  to  come  in  and  surrender.  Allison  made  several  visits  to  the 
hostiles  and  numbers  came  in  to  Poplar  River  Agency,  Montana,  in  the 
latter  part  of  1880.  At  first  these  Indians  seemed  peaceable  but,  after 
they  had  collected  in  force,  became  turbulent  and  arrogant,  assuming  a 
threatening  attitude  toward  the  garrison  at  Poplar  River  which  it  became 
necessary,  therefore,  to  increase. 

On  December  15th,  1880,  Major  G.  Ilges,  5th  Infantry,  with  five 
mounted  companies  of  his  regiment,  numbering  about  one  hundred  and 
eighty  officers  and  men,  left  Fort  Keogh  and  after  a  march  of  nearly  two 
hundred  miles  through  deep  snow,  with  the  thermometer  ranging  from 
ten  to  thirty-five  degrees  below  zero,  reinforced  the  garrison  consisting 
of  four  companies  of  the  7th  Infantry  and  one  troop  of  the  7th  Cav 
alry,  at  Camp  Poplar  River. 

On  January  2d,  1881,  leaving  one  company  of  infantry  and  detach 
ments  of  three  other  companies  of  infantry  to  guard  the  camp,  Major 
Ilges  moved,  with  a  force  of  about  three  hundred  officers  and  men,  with 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  against  some  camps  of  Sioux,  numbering  about 
four  hundred,  who  were  located  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Missouri. 
Upon  the  approach  of  the  troops  the  Indians  fled  from  their  villages  and 
took  refuge  in  some  timber,  from  which  they  were  quickly  driven  by  a 
few  shells  and  soon  surrendered,  to  the  number  of  over  three  hundred, 
under  the  terms  already  extended  to  all  the  hostiles,  viz.,  that  they  should 
be  disarmed  and  dismounted.  Nearly  two  hundred  ponies  were  given 
up,  together  with  sixty-nine  guns  and  pistols,  as  well  as  the  camp 
equipage;  eight  Indians  were  killed  in  the  attack  and  about  sixty  escaped 
and  joined  others  in  the  vicinity.  On  January  9th,  twenty  additional 
Indians  were  captured  and,  on  January  29th,  eight  more  lodges,  number 
ing  sixty-four  people,  also  surrendered  to  Major  Ilges,  with  five  guns  and 
thirteen  ponies.  There  were  no  casualties  to  the  troops,  during  these 


114 

operations,  but  many  were  very  badly  frozen  through  exposure  to  the 
terrible  weather. 

On  February  26th,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  hostile  Sioux  from 
what  was  generally  called  Sitting  Bull's  camp,  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  ponies  and  about  forty  guns  and  pistols,  nearly  all  the  guns  being 
Winchester  and  Henry  rifles,  surrendered  to  Major  Brotherton,  7th 
Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Buford,  Dakota. 

February  12th,  Major  Ilges,  5th  Infantry,  reported  having  arrested 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five  hostiles,  forty-three  of  them  being  full 
grown  warriors,  in  the  Yanktonnais  camp  at  Red  Water,  Montana ; 
fifteen  horses  and  seven  guns  were  taken  from  the  prisoners. 

April  llth,  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  hostiles,  forty-five  of  them 
men,  surrendered  with  their  arms  and  ponies,  to  Major  Brotherton,  7th 
Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Buford,  Dakota. 

April  18th,  thirty-two  lodges  of  hostile  Sioux,  numbering  forty-seven 
men,  thirty-nine  women,  twenty-five  boys  and  forty-five  girls,  with  fifty- 
seven  ponies,  sixteen  guns  and  three  revolvers,  surrendered  to  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Whistler,  5th  Infantry,  commanding  Fort  Keogh,  Montana. 

May  24th,  eight  lodges  of  hostiles,  numbering  about  fifty  persons, 
twelve  of  them  men,  surrendered  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Camp 
Poplar  River,  Montana. 

May  26th,  thirty-two  hostile  Indians  surrendered  to  the  commanding 
officer  at  Fort  Buford,  Dakota. 

July  20th,  Sitting  Bull,  with  the  last  of  his  followers,  comprising 
forty-five  men,  sixty  seven  women  and  seventy-three  children,  surren 
dered  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Buford,  Dakota. 

On  July  22d,  there  were  turned  over  to  the  Indian  agent  at  Standing 
Rock  Agency,  (Mr.  J.  A.  Stephan,)  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  Indian  prisoners,  with  five  hundred  and  forty-nine  ponies 
and  mules. 

In  July,  "  Nana,"  with  fifteen  warriors,  the  remnant  of  "Victoria's" 
band,  re-entered  New  Mexico,  and  reinforced  by  about  twenty-five 
Mescaleros,  whirled  through  the  territory,  plundering  and  killing  a  num 
ber  of  people.  On  the  17th  of  July,  at  Alamo  Canon,  New  Mexico,  a 
small  party  of  these  Indians  ambushed  chief  packer  Burgess  and  one 
man,  belonging  to  a  detachment  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Guilfoyle, 
9th  Cavalry,  wounded  Burgess  and  captured  three  mules.  On  July  19th, 
Lieutenant  Guilfoyle  with  his  detachment  of  the  9th  Cavalry  and  some 
Indian  scouts,  following  a  trail  westward  of  Canon  del  Perro,  New 
Mexico,  had  a  skirmish  with  some  of  the  hostiles  near  the  Arena 
Blanca,  where  they  had  just  killed  two  Mexicans  and  a  woman  ;  the 
party  numbered  about  thirteen  warriors,  and  succeeded  in  making  their 
escape.  On  July  25th,  Lieutenant  Guilfoyle  again  struck  the  hostiles 
encamped  in  the  San  Andreas  Mountains,  New  Mexico,  captured  two 


115 

horses,  twelve  mules,  many  blankets  and  all  the  Indians'  provisions ;  two 
of  the  hostiles  were  shot  and  believed  to  be  killed,  the  others  escaped, 
crossing  the  Rio  Grande,  six  miles  below  San  Jose",  killing  two  miners 
and  a  Mexican  in  the  flight. 

July  30th,  four  Mexicans  were  reported  killed  by  the  hostiles  in  the 
foot  hills  of  the  San  Mateo  Mountains.  August  1st,  a  party  of  thirty-six 
citizens,  commanded  by  a  Mr.  Mitchell,  whilst  at  dinner  in  the  Red  Canon 
of  the  San  Mateo  Mountains,  were  surprised  and  defeated  by  the  hostiles, 
losing  one  man  killed  and  seven  wounded,  besides  all  their  riding 
animals,  thirty-eight  in  number  ;  the  Indians  escaped.  On  August  3d, 
Lieutenant  Guilfoyle's  detachment  again  struck  this  band  at  Monica 
Springs,  New  Mexico,  wounded  two  Indians  and  captured  eleven  head 
of  stock,  some  saddles,  blankets,  etc.  This  band  numbered  about  twenty 
or  thirty  warriors,  led  by  Nana,  and  they  had  killed  another  Mexican,  in 
escaping  from  Red  Canon.  At  La  Savoya,  New  Mexico,  on  August  llth, 
Lieutenant  Guilfoyle  found  that  two  Mexicans  had  been  killed,  and  two 
women  carried  off  by  the  hostiles. 

August  12th,  Captain  Parker,  with  a  detachment  of  nineteen  men  of 
the  9th  Cavalry,  struck  Nana's  band,  twenty-five  miles  west  of  Sabinal, 
New  Mexico,  lost  one  soldier  killed,  three  wounded  and  one  missing,  but 
reported  an  equal  loss  inflicted  upon  the  hostiles  who  then  drew  off; 
Captain  Parker's  small  detachment,  encumbered  by  their  wounded,  were 
unable  to  pursue. 

August  16th,  Lieutenant  Valois,  with  Troop  "  I,"  9th  Cavalry,  had  a 
severe  fight  with  a  band  of  about  fifty  Indians,  near  Cuchillo  Negro,  New 
Mexico  ;  Lieutenant  Burnett,  9th  Cavalry,  was  wounded  twice,  two 
enlisted  men  and  six  horses  were  killed  ;  the  hostiles  lost  several  killed. 
The  same  day  Lieutenant  Taylor,  with  a  detachment  of  the  9th  Cavalry, 
also  had  a  fight  with  the  hostiles,  captured  some  horses  and  recovered 
some  stolen  property,  losing,  himself,  a  few  horses  killed  ;  the  hostiles 
were  pursued  toward  the  Black  Range. 

August  18th,  Lieutenant  G.  W.  Smith,  9th  Cavalry,  with  a  detach 
ment  of  twenty  men,  struck  the  hostiles  about  fifteen  miles  from  McEver's 
ranch,  New  Mexico.  The  Indians  were  defeated,  after  a  very  severe 
fight  in  which  Lieutenant  Smith  and  four  of  his  men  were  killed  ;  a  party 
of  citizens,  under  command  of  George  Daly,  joined  Lieutenant  Smith  in 
the  fight  and  Daly  was  killed. 

Altogether,  eight  troops  of  cavalry,  eight  companies  of  infantry  and 
two  Indian  scouts  were  in  the  field,  personally  commanded  by  Colonel  E. 
Hatch,  9th  Cavalry,  in  pursuit  of  these  Indians,  and  while  no  decisive 
engagement  took  place,  the  hostiles  were  persistently  driven  from  one 
point  to  another,  until  they  fled  across  the  Mexican  border,  where,  under 
positive  orders  from  the  Government,  the  chase  was  abandoned. 


116 

In  the  Department  of  Texas,  the  following  murders  were  also  specially 
reported : 

By  the  commanding  officer,  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  January  8th,  1881; 
in  Quitman  Caiion,  Texas,  the  stage  driver  and  a  passenger,  named 
James  Kelso,  killed  by  unknown  parties  supposed  to  be  Indians. 

By  the  commanding  officer,  Fort  Clark,  Texas;  Allen  Reiss  and 
Mrs.  McLauren,  killed  by  Indians  on  the  Rio  Frio,  Texas,  about  April 
24,  1881. 

By  the  commanding  officer,  Fort  Davis,  Texas;  two  railroad  employes, 
named  Bell  and  Smith,  were  killed  by  unknown  parties,  at  a  water  hole 
between  Quitman  and  Eagle  Springs,  Texas,  about  July  8,  1881. 


±  8  8  2. 


April  23d,  a  detachment,  consisting  of  six  men  and  six  Indian  scouts, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  McDonald,  4th  Cavalry,  was  attacked  by  a 
large  band  of  Chiricahua  Apaches,  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Stein's 
Pass,  Arizona,  and  four  of  the  scouts  were  killed.  One  of  the  scouts 
made  his  escape  with  the  news,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  A.  Forsyth, 
with  Troops  "  C,"  "  F,"  «  G,"  "  H,"  and  "  M,"  4th  Cavalry,  proceeded 
at  a  gallop  for  sixteen  miles  to  the  relief  of  the  rest  of  Lieutenant 
McDonald's  party,  who  were  found  still  defending  themselves.  The 
hostiles  fled  on  the  approach  of  this  column,  were  pursued  and  overtaken 
in  a  strongly  intrenched  position  in  Horse  Shoe  Canon,  where  the  com 
mand  dismounted  and  promptly  attacked  them  among  rocky  ridges  vary 
ing  from  four  hundred  to  sixteen  hundred  feet  high.  The  Indians  were 
driven  from  rock  to  rock,  among  the  mountains,  until  they  dispersed  in 
every  direction  and  further  immediate  pursuit  became  impracticable  ; 
thirteen  Indians  were  killed,  a  number  wounded  and  a  quantity  of  their 
animals  captured. 

On  April  28th,  Captain  Tupper,  with  Troops  "  G "  and  "  M,"  6th 
Cavalry,  and  a  company  of  Indian  scouts,  all  belonging  to  the  Depart 
ment  of  Arizona,  struck  these  Indians  about  twenty-five  miles  south  of 
Cloverdale,  surprised  and  attacked  their  camp,  killed  six  of  the  hostiles 
and  captured  seventy-two  head  of  stock. 

After  Forsyth's  fight  in  Horse  Shoe  Canon,  he  followed  upon  the 
trail  and,  joining  forces  with  Captain  Tupper  after  the  latter  had  also 
attacked  the  hostiles,  continued  the  pursuit  into  old  Mexico.  About  ten 
miles  from  the  scene  of  Tupper's  fight,  a  squaw  was  found  who  stated 
that  the  Indians  had  lost  thirteen  killed  in  the  fight  with  Forsyth,  and 
six  more  in  Tupper's  attack.  On  April  30th  Forsyth,  met  a  column  of 
Mexican  troops,  commanded  by  Colonel  Garcia,  who  declined  to  allow 
further  pursuit  upon  Mexican  soil,  and  stated  that  his  own  troops  had 
just  destroyed  the  band  Forsyth  had  chased  into  Mexico.  Forsyth 
accompanied  Garcia  to  the  scene  of  the  fight,  which  had  lasted  five  hours, 
during  which  time  the  Mexicans  had  lost  two  officers  and  nineteen  men 
killed,  and  three  officers  and  ten  men  wounded  ;  seventy-eight  Indians 
were  killed  and  thirty-three  women  and  children  were  captured.  The 
total  thus  known  to  be  killed  in  the  fights  of  Forsyth,  Tupper  and  Garcia, 
was  ninety-eight ;  about  thirty  Indians  had  also  been  wounded  who  es- 


118 

capecl,  and  two  hundred  and  five  horses  and  mules  were  killed  or  cap 
tured,  before  the  hostiles  entered  Mexico. 

April  29th,  Lieutenant  Morgan,  3d  Cavalry,  with  a  detachment  of  six 
men  of  Troop  "  K,"  3d  Cavalry,  was  sent  from  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming, 
to  arrest  "  Ute  Jack,"  a  chief  of  the  White  River  Utes.  Armed  with  a 
knife,  "  Ute  Jack "  resisted  arrest  and  attempted  to  escape,  when  he 
was  wounded  in  the  arm  by  a  shot  from  the  guard.  He  then  took  refuge 
in  an  Indian  teepee,  where  he  obtained  a  carbine  and  succeeded  in 
killing  the  sergeant  of  the  detachment.  Major  Mason,  3d  Cavalry, 
arrived  on  the  spot  and  further  measures  were  taken  resulting  in  the 
capture  and  death  of  the  Indian. 

June  23d,  a  party  of  hostile  Apaches  attempted  to  take  refuge  upon 
the  Mescalero  Agency  at  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico.  The  agent,  Mr. 
Llewellyn,  assisted  by  some  of  the  employes  and  Indian  police,  attempted 
to  arrest  the  hostiles,  when  a  fight  occurred  in  which  three  of  the  hostiles 
were  killed  and  Mr.  Llewellyn  wounded  ;  the  rest  of  the  band,  about 
seven  or  eight  in  number,  escaped  and  fled  from  the  reservation,  pursued 
by  a  small  detachment  of  troops  and  Indian  scouts  from  Fort  Stanton. 


CONCLUSION, 


IN  connection  with  the  operations  of  the  Army,  within  the  Military 
Division  of  the  Missouri,  many  important  changes  have  taken  place  dur 
ing  the  fifteen  years  embraced  by  the  foregoing  narrative;  much  of  the 
country  which,  at  the  beginning  of  that  period,  was  monopolized  by  the 
buffalo  and  the  Indian,  has  now  been  opened  to  the  settler,  to  the  rail 
road  and  to  civilization.  With  a  loss  to  the  troops  of  more  than  a 
thousand  officers  and  men  killed  and  wounded,  and  partly  as  the  result 
of  more  than  four  hundred  skirmishes,  combats  and  battles, — not  includ 
ing  many  pursuits  and  surrenders  of  Indians,  when  no  actual  fighting 
occurred, — the  majority  of  the  wasteful  and  hostile  occupants  of  millions 
of  acres  of  valuable  agricultural,  pasture  and  mineral  lands,  have  been 
forced  upon  reservations  under  the  supervision  of  the  Government;  some 
have  been  gradually  taught  a  few  of  the  simpler  useful  industries, 
Indian  children  have  been  placed  in  schools,  under  instruction  in  a  bet 
ter  life  than  the  vagabond  existence  to  which  they  were  born,  and  the 
vast  section  over  which  the  wild  and  irresponsible  tribes  once  wandered, 
redeemed  from  idle  waste  to  become  a  home  for  millions  of  progressive 
people. 

Following  behind  the  advancing  troops  who  protected  the  hardy 
pioneer  engaged  in  breaking  the  soil  for  his  homestead,  came  the  Kansas 
and  Union  Pacific  railways,  racing  through  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  to 
gain  "  the  hundreth  meridian."  Guarded  by  the  soldiers,  the  surveying 
and  construction  parties  completed  the  main  lines  of  those  roads  during 
the  earlier  years  covered  by  this  narrative,  and  later  their  branches  and 
connections  have  extended  into  many  fertile  valleys  which  now  support 
not  only  a  thick  local  population,  but  supply,  also,  material  for  the  bread 
of  this  Nation  and  the  old  world.  Subsequently  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
and  Santa  Fe  railway  opened  to  the  stock  raisers,  the  rich  cattle  ranges 
of  the  Arkansas  Valley,  and  carried  into  the  drowsy  regions  of  New 
Mexico,  the  implements  of  a  new  era.  Across  Dakota  and  Montana,  to 
day,  the  working  parties  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  escorted  by  the  troops, 
are  rapidly  adding  another  complete  trans-continental  highway,  and  over 
all  of  the  foregoing  roads  are  pouring  thousands  of  cars  loaded  with 
cattle,  to  furnish  eastern  markets  with  their  daily  supply  of  beef.  With 
its  narrow  iron  threadways,  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  has  seamed  the 
almost  vertical  faces  of  mountain  cliffs,  scaled  their  lofty  summits  and 


120 

made  available  the  wealth  of  Utah  and  Colorado.  Through  the  State  of 
Texas,  the  Southern  Pacific,  the  Texas  Pacific,  and  the  International  and 
Great  Northern,  have  opened  complete  routes  to  the  Pacific  and  into  Old 
Mexico,  whilst  all  over  the  Division,  numerous  minor  roads  and  branches 
are  constantly  penetrating  what  were,  until  recently,  mysterious  and 
almost  unknown  regions. 

As  the  railroads  overtook  the  successive  lines  of  isolated  frontier 
posts,  and  settlements  spread  out  over  country  no  longer  requiring  mili 
tary  protection,  the  army  vacated  its  temporary  shelters  and  marched  on 
into  remote  regions  beyond,  there  to  repeat  and  continue  its  pioneer 
work.  In  rear  of  the  advancing  line  of  troops,  the  primitive  "  dug-outs  " 
and  cabins  of  the  frontiersmen,  were  steadily  replaced  by  the  tasteful 
houses,  thrifty  farms,  neat  villages  and  busy  towns  of  a  people  who 
knew  how  best  to  employ  the  vast  resources  of  the  great  West.  The 
civilization  from  the  Atlantic  is  now  reaching  out  toward  that  rapidly 
approaching  it  from  the  direction  of  the  Pacific,  the  long  intervening 
strip  of  territory,  extending  from  the  British  Possessions  to  Old  Mexico, 
yearly  growing  narrower;  finally  the  dividing  lines  will  entirely  disap 
pear  and  the  mingling  settlements  absorb  the  remnants  of  the  once  pow 
erful  Indian  nations  who,  fifteen  years  ago,  vainly  attempted  to  forbid 
the  destined  progress  of  the  age. 


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